May I Have This Dance? Part One
by Scooplet
Summary: Big changes are on the horizon for Lee and Amanda. Meanwhile, Matt is forced to face the realities of being an agent. Second Installment of the Deja Vu series. This is a two-part story.
1. Chapter 1

May I Have This Dance?

Written by Susan

Concept by Cheryl and Susan

Scarecrow and Mrs. King characters are the property of Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended. Not for commercial use.

Chapter One

The Ford sedan came to a stop along the curb in the darkness between streetlights. Thunder rumbled as lightning from an early summer storm briefly illuminated the three men emerging from the car on a deserted street in Washington, D.C. They whispered fervently in Russian to one another.

"Nyet! ...No, I don't like this arrangement at all. Haven't you heard the stories of what these people do to their own countrymen, let alone the Americans?"

"We have no other way to get what we need, Sergey. If we do deals with anyone else, the secret police will find out. We don't have the money to pay them off. Besides, these people are in the mood to sell, and we are in the mood to buy."

Sergey took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow. The steamy air was suffocating, the heat unbearable. "At least at home it is not so infernally hot, Alexei."

"Let's hope we can finish this meet before the rain comes." Gyorgi spoke gruffly. "Quit whining, Sergey."

All three men jumped as they heard an automatic weapon being cocked. A small man approached, but he was not alone. Sergey and his friends could hear others behind him. Lightning flashed again. There were at least six. They were outnumbered.

"Good. I see you know how to be on time and follow instructions." The small man's accent was thick.

_At least we all speak English_, Sergey thought. "Please tell us your terms, so we can tell our people how to act."

The small man sneered. "Not so fast. This meeting was a test. We wanted to know if we could trust you. We meet tomorrow. There is a bar just around the corner. You will give the usual greeting at the bar, and someone will show you to the back room. No tricks, or we will send a message with you as our example."

One of the guards pressed a gun to Alexei's side. Sergey spoke quickly. "We will be there. No tricks." The guard pulled the trigger.

Time seemed to slow down as fat drops of rain began to fall from the sky. Forcing himself to stay standing, Alexei felt the world spin. There was no pain, no loud report.

The gun had been empty.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Lee Stetson was edgy. He ran his finger under his collar and fiddled with his tie. He had never liked meetings, and this one was no different. The pile of paperwork on his desk wasn't getting any shorter, and his stomach, empty of anything except his usual morning coffee, was growling. He felt a hand gently rest on his arm, and he relaxed a bit. Amanda Stetson had always known how to read Lee. Surreptitiously, he placed his large hand over her smaller one and focused on Efraim Beaman's update. In just a few more minutes, the meeting would be over.

At the same table, Matt Granger stole a glance at the clock. The freshman agent was anxious to be gone. It was Tuesday, and he didn't want to miss his usual lunch date. He almost smiled. _Usual lunch date._ It was a nice thought, but it was only the fourth time. _Four times in four weeks—every Tuesday…_

The shuffling papers and moving chairs startled Matt out of his reverie; he quickly gathered his things and headed to his desk in the bullpen.

Manny Gonzales and Ryan Johnson grinned at each other and hung back, watching Granger leave the room. "He's got some girl. I know it," said Gonzales. "This kid has almost no friends, and then he starts this regular Tuesday thing. Always rushes out of these meetings."

Johnson snickered. "Let's tail him. The guy is so oblivious to us watching him, he's an embarrassment to the Agency. He has no clue we are on to him. He'll never know."

Rene Enriquez leaned back against the wall near Gonzales and Johnson. "Yeah, and you two clowns aren't so smart, either." The two younger agents swung around and looked at Enriquez. "I've seen you watching Granger. He's not hiding anything. He just knows you could never tail him once he left here. He's not as green as you think he is. I've seen him track down someone running avoidance patterns in the middle of a crowd on the Mall. Don't forget he was recruited from Army Intelligence."

"Sheesh, Enriquez. What do those clowns in Army Intelligence know about anything? Don't elevate the guy. He's lovestruck. He wasn't even listening the last few minutes." Johnson looked through the windows of the conference room to the hallway. He didn't want to miss Granger leaving.

Enriquez laughed like he was going along with the other two agents. "You may be right, but you two goons will never be able to tail him, I'm telling you. Let me do it. I'm pretty much his partner, anyway."

Johnson looked at Gonzales and shrugged. "Okay, but you had better let us know what this is all about, or we _will_ tail the guy next week."

"If there is a next week. I had better get back to my desk so I can be around when he leaves."

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Amanda followed Lee to his office. He held the door for her, and then shut it behind them. In the corner there with the door closed it was hard to see through the windows into the office. Lee took Amanda's arm and drew her to him for a kiss. He pulled away a little and looked her up and down. She was wearing his favorite dress and had styled her dark hair around her shoulders. "You know I love to see you in that black dress. It fits in all the right places and shows off those great legs—"

Amanda placed a hand on Lee's chest. "Oh Lee, stop."

Hazel eyes twinkling, Lee chuckled and offered her a dimpled grin, but didn't move away. "I'm working through lunch, then meeting with Barclay—"

"I thought you had planned to eat with Sarah today. Now you are working through lunch?"

"Oh, I never told you. I called her yesterday, since I always seem to get home too late to talk to her. She already had plans. We are getting together tomorrow."

"Lee, you know it's a bit strange to have to go to lunch with your daughter in order to see her, when she lives above your garage."

"Yeah." Lee sighed and ran his hand through his silver hair. Then his expression changed. "You know, I have a gut feeling. I think she's seeing a guy, and it's not Jeff."

Amanda started. "Really? Why do you say that?"

"Well, she normally tells me who she's having lunch with, and this time she was really hedging. You know, like she used to do when she would be seeing someone new and didn't want me to know yet."

"Lee, do you suppose she's back with Jeff? They never really broke it off."

"I don't know what to think. You'd think two spies would know what their daughter was doing."

"Intelligence operatives." Amanda's eyes narrowed. "Lee, don't get any ideas about spying on your own daughter."

"I wouldn't think of it." Lee crossed his fingers behind his back. "Listen, you'll be late for your lunch date with Jamie. I won't be here when you get back—but I will be home for dinner tonight." He paused for a beat. "Please tell me you will leave early." Lee looked into Amanda's eyes to gauge her reaction.

"Yes, Sir, Chief Stetson." She put on her most agreeable face. Amanda knew better than to argue. She was not sleeping well, and she knew he was aware of it. Other than the few days off after her abduction, they had not had a break for months. Amanda was exhausted.

Lee hesitated, and then plunged ahead. "Amanda, I'd like you to take a session with Kirby before you go home. You had another dream last night—"

"Lee, you asked me to go to Dr. Nagy and I went. I've only been working part time, as she recommended. It's just a bad dream here and there. I'm fine. I really don't want to see Dr. Kirby. He's worse than Pfaff was—he's like a mind reader."

"I'm afraid it's an order, Agent Stetson." Amanda grimaced and Lee's expression softened. "Amanda, I'm also asking as your husband. You aren't sleeping well, and you're tired all the time. This is a demanding job and you can't run yourself down. Besides, you just aren't your usual self." Lee finally pulled away and ran his hand through his hair.

Amanda watched him. She could see her husband was on edge, too. "I'll go if you go. You've been wound up like a clock lately."

Lee started to pace. "Amanda, I went through hell all over again when Birol took you. But I'm fine. You're safe now and he's not going to bother us ever again. I'm just overloaded with work." He looked at Amanda. Her mouth was set and her arms were crossed. She was going to hold her ground. "Okay, okay. I'll go and talk with Kirby, if it will get you to go, too. It will have to be after my meeting with Barclay. And then I'm coming home to have dinner and a pleasant evening with my wife."

"I'm looking forward to that, Mr. Stetson." Amanda smiled. "I'll go give Kirby's office a quick call before I leave for lunch and let them know we are both coming." She walked up to Lee and put her arms around him. "Thank you, Lee, for worrying about me."

"You have my back, and I have yours—like always." He leaned down to kiss her, and then looked in her eyes. "Thank you for not fighting me."

Amanda grinned up at him. "I have learned to follow at least some of your orders over the years, Stetson." She left quickly, wanting to avoid a comeback.

Lee knew he didn't need Kirby—he needed a break. And not just one "normal" evening with his wife. That was one thing on his agenda for this weekly meeting with the Agency director.

He took off his suit jacket and hung it up on the hanger he always left on the back of his office door. He started to sit down at his desk and stopped himself. Instead, he grabbed his lunch and a folder and ambled over to his couch. From there, with the door open, he could hear some of the chatter in the bull pen. He opened up his bag and settled onto the leather couch. Johnson and Gonzales were having an animated discussion. He strained to hear them.

"Do you think Enriquez is even going to tell us the truth? He's not going to let us in on it if he finds out anything. He's just trying to get us off Granger's back." _Johnson is almost whining, like a kid who had been tricked out of his ice cream cone._

Lee smiled as he looked at the bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich his wife had made. There were two—she had thought Sarah would be eating one of them. _Man, these things are always so good. Just a touch of mayo. Crispy bacon—Amanda only gives me bacon for special occasions. _Lee sighed happily._ I guess I'll just have to eat the second one so it won't spoil…_ He looked down at the report and frowned. _At least I have something tasty to distract me from this drudgery_.

His ears pricked up. Johnson was still talking. "…he's not going to tell us if…some chick. We're idiots. We should have..." Lee strained to listen, but could not hear all the words.

As Gonzales stood up, his voice carried into Lee's office. "If that guy lights out of here again next Tuesday like he did today, we will follow him. It's too late to worry about it today, Johnson. Let's go grab a bite."

Lee looked down at his two sandwiches. _Granger. Lunch every Tuesday. Right after the staff meeting…" _After considering for a moment, he shook his head._ "Nah, she's got a boyfriend. She's not going to fall for some guy she met at the side of a road on a rainy night…I hope._ Lee wished he could have heard more. He took a bite of the first sandwich and focused on the report. _If I want to get home in time for dinner, I'd better finish these reports before my meeting._


	2. Chapter 2

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Two

Matt turned another corner and checked his watch. _Dang. I'm gonna be late. These avoidance patterns are taking forever, _he huffed to himself._ Get off my back, Enriquez!_ Matt ducked into another doorway and looked back carefully, but Enriquez had disappeared. _At least my tail isn't some terrorist._ Matt checked his watch again and walked quickly down the street.

Matt slipped into the building. He knew he should have gone straight to the delicatessen as usual, but he really wanted more time together. Picking her up at work would give him that time. Hopefully he had lost Enriquez.

He did not even get as far as the reception desk before he saw her emerge from an office and turn to speak to a colleague. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders and her tailored suit showed off her slim figure and her long legs. His breath caught a little. She was so lovely. Before he could move closer and call her name, someone did it for him.

"Sarah!"

Matt quickly ducked out of her line of vision as Jeff walked up to the reception desk. He was dressed in the same khaki pants and button down shirt he'd worn the first time Matt had seen him. Sarah met Jeff at the desk.

"Hi, Jeff—"

"I thought I'd surprise you—take you out to lunch." Jeff spoke quickly. He moved toward Sarah and reached for her hand.

Stunned, Matt backed away and out of earshot. Feeling foolish for assuming that Sarah had broken off her relationship with Jeff, Matt's stomach clenched. Forgetting that Enriquez might be nearby, he rushed out of the International Spy Museum before he could be seen by Jeff or Sarah.

Enriquez stayed behind for a minute before following Matt out the door. He ran to catch up with the young agent, who stood down the street, looking like he had been sucker-punched in the gut.

"Hey, Granger!"

Matt looked back at Rene, his brow furrowed. "What are you doing here? I thought I lost you."

"You didn't try hard enough… You know, we look like idiots, rushing around in our suits among these tourists."

Matt gave Rene a look and started to walk off. Rene matched his stride and walked beside him. "Listen, why did you leave? Weren't you meeting Sarah for lunch?"

Matt looked at Enriquez. "Don't try a soft interrogation on me. I could have been there for any number of reasons."

"At the International Spy Museum? You don't need to come all the way over here. I'm thinking the Agency is a spy museum all by itself." Rene laughed at Matt, and then grew serious. "Listen, buddy, you don't have much time. If you are going to have lunch with Sarah, you're going to be late."

"I already am too late. Her boyfriend is taking her."

"You idiot. She told him she had other plans. She left in such a hurry, it was all I could do to keep her from seeing me."

Matt looked at Rene sharply. "She really said that?"

"Didn't you see her surprised face? She didn't expect the guy."

After thinking for a moment, Matt relaxed a bit and started walking quickly toward the restaurant. "Why were you following me, anyway? You even got on the Metro with me."

"I'm trying to cover for you. You have been way too obvious the way you hightail it out of the meetings every week. Johnson and Gonzales think you have a girl."

"I suppose you all have bets. Now you'll be telling them it's Sarah. And she's not my girl. She's Jeff's. We're just friends."

Rene rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, Granger. I'm not blind. Besides, I've heard both Phillip and the chief knocking that loser." He clapped Matt on the shoulder. "I'm not going to tell anyone anything. I just wanted to know for sure before I make up some story to get Gonzales and Johnson off your back."

"We've only had lunch a few times. Like I said, we're just friends."

Rene nodded indulgently. "Your secret is safe with me. I'll tell them you are going to the chiropractor or something. Here's a Metro stop. I'll see you later." Grinning, Rene gave Matt a wave and ran down the steps.

Matt hustled off down the street, hoping to catch up with Sarah before she got to the pub.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

As Sarah hurried along the sidewalk, she tried to fight the feelings of frustration bubbling up inside. _I told him I would call him tonight. Why did he have to show up at work like that? Now I'm going to be late meeting Matt._ She smiled to herself as the image of the tall, fair-haired agent came to mind. _He's got to be as tall as Daddy, he's practically as built as Captain America, and he has those amazing eyes. Sheesh, girl. You're acting like he's some piece of meat…he's also sweet and thoughtful, he's fun to talk with, and he's a gentleman. _Sarah had had this conversation with herself before. _He's got an even better personality than his looks. Besides, he's just a friend… I can't wait to see if he'll take me up on my invitation… _Sarah almost laughed out loud. _Look who's rambling now. I'm getting to be like Mom._

Sarah was just getting to the door when Matt ran up and opened it for her. "Allow me."

Surprised, Sarah looked around and flashed a smile of recognition. "Matt! We got here at the same time. I'm glad you didn't have to wait for me."

Matt couldn't help but grin back. "Hi, Sarah. I'm glad you didn't have to wait for me, too. I was delayed on the way over here." Matt placed his hand on the small of her back as he followed Sarah into the restaurant and they took a place in line together. "Let's try getting our sandwiches and going to the park this time. The weather is really nice today—the rain last night sure helped cool things off."

Sarah looked up at Matt and grinned. "That would be great."

Sarah was so animated and friendly, it was hard for Matt to feel uncomfortable. Still, he was worried about seeing Jeff at the Smithsonian. _I was an idiot_, he chided himself. _I knew she had a boyfriend. What was I thinking? This is only friends getting together._

Sarah looked at Matt expectantly. "You were a million miles away just now. I was asking if you've ever tried the special. It's chicken with pesto."

"I haven't had that one, but it sounds good. Did you want to split it? We could get some salad to go with it."

"Sounds good! You sure you don't mind sharing?"

"Not at all. The sandwiches are huge here, and I like having extra stuff with mine, anyway. That will fill me up."

While they were chatting in line, Matt and Sarah did not notice the two Agency employees watching them from the booth in the back of the restaurant.

"Oh Jamie, they're friends. We had Matt over for dinner as a thank you for helping Lee and me. He and Sarah became friends during the case. You know Sarah hasn't completely broken up with Jeff." Amanda was trying to convince Jamie that there was nothing to seeing Matt and Sarah together, but she herself wasn't convinced.

Jamie stared pointedly at Amanda. "Come on, Mom. Sarah confided in both you and Jennifer that she refused Jeff's proposal. They haven't seen each other in a month—he didn't even come for Sarah's dinner when she got her Master's. We didn't even see him at Sarah's hooding ceremony that day. I think it's over. Come to think of it, she's been pretty happy and upbeat the last few times we've talked—that's not like a mourning girlfriend."

_Jamie is just like Mother sometimes. Oh, who am I kidding. He's just like me, too. He can read people like a book._ "Well, what are we staring at anyway? Matt is a great guy. He's a gentleman—there's nothing to worry about."

"Mom, you know Lee is going to flip if he finds out Sarah is seeing an agent. He's been keeping her away from the young recruits since she graduated from NYU. In fact, I'm surprised Matt didn't know better. Surely Enriquez has warned him."

Amanda sighed. Suddenly she felt very tired. She knew she'd have to deal with this at some point, but she just didn't have the energy to cope at the moment. "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Like I said, Matt is a gentleman. He is far more mature than the typical freshman agent. Let's change the subject. Why don't you tell me about the boys?"

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Matt guided Sarah to a bench under the shade of a tree and sat down next to her. They divided the sandwich and Sarah handed Matt the bag, which still held his chips and the salad. "Are you sure this is enough for you, with half a sandwich?"

Matt was amused. "You don't need to mother me. Besides, you gave me about two-thirds. Now I'm worried you won't have enough."

"Oh, I'm good. I keep stuff in my desk. Protein bars, bags of nuts, fruit—you know…" She took a bite and closed her eyes with satisfaction. "Oh, this is so good."

Grinning back at her, he took a bite of his share of the sandwich and nodded in agreement.

They chatted for a while about the tour groups Sarah had led that day at the museum and the exhibit she was helping to plan, and then grew quiet as they continued eating. Matt ate part of the salad and passed it back to Sarah. Trying to think of a way to bring up the subject of Jeff, he didn't realize how preoccupied he'd become. He was startled when Sarah spoke.

"Um, I have a question. This may seem really out in left field, but do you dance—you know—ballroom dance? My friend can't make it, and I won't have a partner tomorrow night."

Matt was surprised. He thought for a moment. He had not been out dancing since the spring of his senior year of high school. "Actually, I have before. When I was in high school, a friend from another school asked me to go to her formal. We went to classes and had dance cards—the whole nine yards. That was a while ago, though."

"Really? That sounds like fun. It's not a problem if you are a bit rusty. This is a class. We are intermediate dancers, so it will help if you know a little."

Matt was uncomfortable. As much as he dreaded Sarah's answer, he needed the truth. "Won't Jeff be a bit jealous if I go in his place?"

"Oh, Jeff doesn't go to this class. He never joined it—he was always teaching at night. It's my friend's little brother. He has a shift at the restaurant where he works. They messed up his schedule. Would you mind?"

It seemed to Matt that Sarah was skirting the truth. Since they had sat down to lunch, Matt had grown more certain that Sarah was as attracted to him as he was to her. But he refused to be a part of a love triangle or some other mess—even for someone like Sarah. "Sarah, before I say yes, I need to know something. Are you and Jeff still together? I don't want to make him think I'm after his girl or something. We didn't hit it off well that time we met."

It was Sarah's turn to be startled at Matt's direct question. Even though today was the first time she had seen Jeff in the last month, they had never officially broken up. They just were not engaged, as Jeff had hoped. But they had spent no time together, either—not even the day that Sarah had been awarded her Master's degree. But then, she had not invited Jeff to the family dinner held in her honor, either. Sarah was not surprised to find that she was not missing the man who probably still thought he was her boyfriend. Somehow she and Matt had stayed off the topic of Jeff until today.

She hedged. "Jeff doesn't mind about the dance class. He knows how much I enjoy it. We haven't seen each other in a month anyway." _There. Now I've said it._

Matt looked Sarah in the eye and thought for a moment. "Well, if you're sure. It sounds like fun."

"Great! The class is at seven o'clock. Do you want me to pick you up? I know you could find it, being an agent and all, but it would be easier if I showed you." She smirked a little at her joke.

"Sure. I'll text you directions to my place." Matt good-naturedly smiled back, his gray eyes twinkling.

"Great! Thanks!" Sarah grinned at Matt and shifted in her seat a little. Her expression changed. "You know, Matt, you haven't told me a lot about high school, Texas—all that stuff. I know from Mom that you were in Army Intelligence and went to A&M before that. Weren't you in the ROTC there?"

"Yeah. We call it the Corps. It was pretty intense. But, it was great for keeping me on track with my studies. We wore uniforms, stayed in the same dorm together, had to be in bed at a certain time."

"Then you were in the Army. Do you miss the routine?"

Matt laughed a little. "I think after seven years I was ready to be managing my own schedule—as much as one can at the Agency. Besides, Army Intelligence was interesting, but I'd always wanted to work for a place like the Agency—since I was a kid."

"Do your parents know where you work? Are they still in Texas?"

"Yeah. They seem pretty set on staying in the same house we grew up in. My mom works occasionally as a nurse, but her first job has always been homemaking—she's still home with my youngest sister. Emily graduated from high school last year, but she is going to a junior college. Laura is at A&M, living in student housing. She graduates in a year."

Matt sobered. "I can't tell them what I do. They think I'm a military consultant with IFF. Sometimes, when we're all together at home, or when things get intense here, I wish I could tell them things. You know, just have my dad or mom to talk to. I always could talk about stuff with them when I was a kid. It was hard when everything happened with Birol." Matt looked away for a moment.

Sarah reached out and touched his arm. "I'm glad we could have you over for dinner. You probably know that my mom is a good listener. She thinks a lot of you. You can talk to her if you need to. You can talk to me, too—if it isn't classified."

Matt looked back at Sarah with an enigmatic expression. Her hazel eyes searched his face, but she could not read him.

_Her eyes are so beautiful_, he thought to himself.He loved her sincerity. _She's not like other girls. But she's not available._ Despite his thoughts, he put his hand on top of hers and kept it there. "Thank you, Sarah. It means a lot. More than you know." They continued staring at one another for a moment before Matt lowered his eyes and finally removed his hand. He looked at his watch. "You need to get back and I need to meet my partner."

Sarah forced herself to stay nonchalant. She hadn't missed the spark that had passed between them. "Routine surveillance or a stakeout?"

"Nice try." Matt laughed, knowing Sarah was teasing him. "You know I can't tell you that."

They gathered their trash and walked together to the dumpster, then toward the street. "No one in my family has ever allowed me near a stakeout or surveillance. They think I'll be in danger or something. Sheesh, I'm in more danger crossing the street."

Matt grew serious. "Trust me, Sarah. It can get dangerous. They have your best interests in mind."

"Still, with my studies in history and foreign affairs, I would bet I could offer some help with analysis or background information. I would love to help on a case sometime."

"I didn't realize you were itching to help. I thought the case with Birol had upset you so much you were scared off for good."

"I didn't say I wanted to be an operative."

"Maybe sometime I can ask you for some background information." They were nearing Matt's Metro station. "I'd walk you back to the museum, but I'll be late meeting Enriquez. See you tomorrow at six-thirty?"

Suddenly, Sarah reached up, surprising Matt with a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Matt. That would be great. I'm glad you can come."

Before he could respond, Sarah was off down the street. Matt brought his hand to his cheek and allowed himself a small smile before growing serious. _Take it easy, Granger. It was just a thank you kiss._ He studied her retreating form for a minute, and then walked down the stairs of the station.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Lee adjusted his tie and stepped off the elevator. He knew he was being observed, but he had gotten used to having his every move at the Agency tracked. He buttoned his jacket and stepped up to the Agency director's door. After looking into the retinal scanner and offering his thumbprint, the security guard waved him in. "Thanks, Hal." The guard nodded as Lee walked past. He continued towards the receptionist, who smiled as Lee greeted her.

"He'll see you now, Mr. Stetson."

Gil Barclay was the same age as Lee, but had gotten his post by rising up through the ranks of the State Department and by making friends with the right politicians. Despite his lack of experience in the field and his political ties, Lee couldn't help but like the man. Barclay was smart enough to give the people he managed the respect they had earned. And, he was willing to listen before making a decision. Amanda had said more than once that Gil Barclay knew how to rub Lee the right way. He had forged a career on learning how to do that with even the most difficult individuals, bringing out the best in them.

It was Barclay who had recruited Lee and Amanda to the State Department in the mid-90s. After working together for ten years there, Barclay asked Lee and Amanda to follow him back to the Agency when he was asked to take over as director of the comparatively small and shadowy counter intelligence organization. The Agency had operated under the radar of the average citizen since its inception in the 1960s. Lee was an Agency veteran, having worked as an agent there for twenty years following his recruitment by the Agency's founder, Harry V. Thornton.

Gil rose from his desk and greeted Lee with a firm handshake. Although Lee's six-foot, two-inch frame towered over Barclay's, the men were more similar in appearance than not. Each sported silver hair and a vitality and energy that belied their age.

"On time as usual, Stetson. Have a seat." Barclay gestured to the seating area away from his desk. Two leather chairs were arranged around a coffee table and matching couch. A water pitcher and glasses stood on the table.

Lee positioned himself in the corner of the couch. He sat back, but did not relax.

Barclay seated himself in a chair and poured them each a glass of water.

"I hope everything in the field section is going as smoothly as it was in your last report."

"No changes. I have some teams on surveillance this afternoon, but no current activity."

"I understand Francine Beaman is coming back to the office."

"Yeah. She took a week off after Amanda and I returned to duty, and has been at Langley off and on for the last two weeks. She had a meeting there today to wrap up the dirty bomb investigation. She hasn't fully updated me, yet, but apparently they completed their debriefing of the suicide bomber. I plan to have a chat with Francine this afternoon before I leave."

"Marjan Masood. I heard she had recovered somewhat. I have put a little pressure on my friends at State to offer her family asylum. As for Marjan, I can't guarantee at this point that she won't be tried—we'll have to see if the CIA's investigation turns up anything."

"Amanda will be glad to hear about the Masood family."

"How is Amanda?"

Lee could sense that Barclay was not asking just out of curiosity about his section chief's wife. He wanted to know if the field section's freshmen supervisor was fit for duty. Lee's expression remained neutral. "She's only working part time for the next two weeks, but she is staying on top of her agents' cases. Three of the surveillance teams out today include freshman agents."

Barclay shifted in his seat. "Nagy said she was in danger of burn out if she didn't cut back her hours."

Lee's jaw clenched and he fought to control his expression. He did not want to jeopardize Amanda's job. It was crucial he convince Barclay that Amanda was still fit for duty. He decided to be honest. "Amanda has done nothing to warrant a review. As a precaution, I asked her to schedule a session with Kirby today—just to make sure she has no lasting psychological effects from the kidnapping. As I said, Amanda is staying on top of things. Believe me—I just waded through a pile of her paperwork and it was all completed according to regulations."

Barclay chuckled. "Relax, Lee. I'm not going to make you fire your wife. I just have to be sure anyone who is in the field or overseeing agents in the field is not a liability to the Agency or to national security. In fact, I should ask you to see Kirby as well. You are due for a follow up evaluation."

It was Lee's turn to laugh. "Well, Amanda is one step ahead of you. She made an appointment for me, too." He paused. "Actually, I was going to request a two-week vacation for us both. We really need to get away. It's been a long time since we had a real break—those days off we had a few weeks ago were partially spent shuttling back and forth to the Agency to see Dr. Nagy."

Barclay smiled, then grew thoughtful. "Lee, didn't you tell me once that you only took the section chief job out of loyalty to the Agency? You and Amanda were both comfortable at State."

"Well, you asked us to join you here—Marzetti quit when Billy retired as Director. I think Billy always wished I'd taken his place as Section Chief…" Lee was not sure where the conversation was going.

"But now that you have been here six years, do you think it might be time to move on? I know of several positions that would be an excellent fit for you. The hours are a lot lighter."

Lee relaxed a little. "Actually, Gil, I've even considered retirement. But I think I would go nuts if I had nothing to do but play golf all day. I haven't even suggested it to Amanda in a while. She hasn't been too receptive to the idea."

"What if you eased into retirement with a little consulting work for the Agency? Maybe some world travel? I have a friend in the oil industry who has had some trouble at his interests in Kazakhstan."

"I'm not sure police work in a third world nation is what I had in mind…"

Barclay laughed. "You know it's not that bad. The oil money has helped the economy there. And, this work requires highly skilled professionals. A couple who could pose as rich investors, perhaps. Intelligence operatives who are smart enough to avoid being caught. If the need goes beyond private interests to a counter terrorist or counter intelligence angle, the Agency would take over and you could go home."

"Amanda and I aren't young agents anymore, Gil."

"I'm not saying you'll be caught by the SVR and interrogated, Lee. You just have to be careful, that's all." Barclay shifted in his seat and leaned forward. "Tell you what. You and Amanda take those two weeks. Go to the beach, the Keys, wherever. Relax first, and then talk about it. Let me know what you decide. You can leave as soon as you want. Next week, even."

"What about my replacement? Francine does fill the post well—she might consider being Section Chief now that her girls are nearly grown… But, you may have to do some restructuring to get the hours down."

"Actually, Lee, that was one reason I thought the timing for all of this might be perfect. Even if you decide to stay with the Agency awhile more, it is time to restructure things again. Since the 9/11 restructuring, the organization has grown beyond that and Thornton's original conception. For now, as long as Efraim continues to work as a full-time consultant, I am guessing that Francine would be willing to stay and watch over the D.C. operations."

Lee still looked doubtful. "A vacation I can handle right now—and I'm very grateful, Gil. I know Amanda won't fully recover from the Birol case unless she does have a change of scenery. However, getting Amanda and myself involved in potentially dangerous work…I don't know."

The two men rose. "Again, Lee. This would be milk run level work. We would have our people take over—or at least help get you out of there—if it became anything more. Let me know what you decide. I'll wait a few weeks to hear from you. Meanwhile, I expect you to go home tonight and plan a vacation—after wrapping things up with Kirby so your file is in order."

Lee grinned. "Thanks, Gil. I wasn't even sure how to bring all of this up."

"You've done your time, Lee. You and Amanda could retire with honors. We'll be in touch."

The two men shook hands and Lee departed. He almost did not mind having to visit Kirby now.


	3. Chapter 3

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Three

Enriquez tossed the last of his M & Ms into his mouth and chewed slowly as he played with the steering wheel and stared out of the Agency car's windshield. With no activity at the entrance or on the sides of the building, the tip leading them to this location seemed like just another dead end. There had been little vehicle activity or foot traffic in this part of the warehouse district. He glanced at Matt, who was using the telephoto lens of a camera to scan the areas around them.

"See anything?"

"Still nothing. These Russians must be on to us."

"The informant didn't think so. He said they were too confident. Take one more look around through the lens."

Rene shifted in his seat and glanced over at Matt again. "Did you have a nice lunch with Sarah?"

"Yeah. We went to the park with some sandwiches."

"You know you could be seen there. Do you care if anyone knows?"

"We could be seen anywhere. Honestly, I am a little worried. I didn't get a good look, but I think Mrs. Stetson was at the deli with Jamie King."

"Geez, Granger! If Chief finds out, he might transfer you to Alaska!"

"Let's hope he won't."

"Do you like her?"

"Of course I like her. That's why I ate lunch with her."

"You know what I mean."

Matt was quiet for a while. The two agents kept their eyes on the area around them and the warehouse across the street. Matt took photos of the few people they saw, including the driver of a panel truck that pulled up outside the building. Rene bided his time. He knew Matt would answer when he was ready.

When Matt finally did speak, he blurted out his response. It was if he had bottled it up inside and needed to vent. "I've never met anyone like her, Rene. I think about her all the time. But I need to move on. She has a boyfriend."

"So, move on." Rene did not look directly at Matt, waiting for his response.

"Yeah. After I go to her dance class with her."

Rene could not help reacting to this news. "She asked you to her dance class? She's two-timing her boyfriend for you—at a dance class?"

Matt sat up straight. He didn't get irritated very often, but he was now. "Rene, watch it. You don't know the whole story. The boyfriend doesn't usually go. Sarah says they haven't dated in a month. She really needed a partner for the class."

"Was that him at the museum?"

Matt was silent again. His expression intensified as he looked out the window. He knew Rene was only trying to help, but he was becoming too emotional over things with Sarah. It would be best to put her out of his mind.

"Yeah. Look, Rene. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Unless Sarah breaks up with her boyfriend, I can only be her friend—and they've been together for four years. There's no point in discussing it."

Rene was quiet for a few minutes. He took the camera from Matt and scanned the area again. He trained the lens on a pedestrian for a few minutes, then gave up when he realized the man was not going to the warehouse.

"Did you see the truck driver? Look familiar to you?"

Rene looked at Matt's photo on the camera. "I can't tell. We'll enlarge it on the computer, or have Jamie check it out when we get back… Hey listen, about Sarah—"

Matt stiffened a little, but held his tongue.

"Are you willing to settle for friendship, only?"

"Oh, I don't know…I guess not. She's fun to be around. We think the same way a lot. I find myself really opening up to her. She's so beautiful—and smart…" _And so sweet—and she has those expressive eyes_, he thought to himself. He could not share all of his feelings for Sarah with Rene. "I just want to… I don't know what I'll do. I should probably back off—move on. The Chief could find out and give me a lot of grief."

Matt shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Look—there's nothing here. Let's get back to the Agency and file our reports."

Rene glanced at Matt again. He had put his agent face back on, but Rene could tell it was a front. "Granger, didn't you just tell me that she hasn't dated her boyfriend in a month? Maybe you're giving up too easily. Just sayin'…"

Matt let out his breath. "I need to know she's done with the guy. I'm not going to be the third wheel. I was dumb to think I could just be friends with Sarah." He sighed and put the camera away, then looked out his passenger window, shutting off the conversation.

Rene gave Matt a long look. Deciding to table that topic, he changed the subject. "Before we go back to the Agency, we need to see someone. I had one of my "family" do a little snooping around the area. We've been wasting a lot of time doing this assigned surveillance. Chief expects us to find out why these folks keep showing up in the flash traffic."

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Matt followed Rene down the alley. He was on edge, surreptiously scanning the rooftops above them and keeping his eye on both ends of the alley. Rene stopped in front of a homeless man. _What is he thinking? This guy looks drunk out of his mind_. Matt stood up against the wall of the building opposite and kept on the alert.

Rene kicked the bum's feet. "Wake up, George."

George slowly looked up at Rene. "I'm awake, Enriquez. I can see you brought another spook with you." He directed his gaze at Matt. "The place is secure, pretty boy. You can quit looking around like a tourist."

Matt's eyes grew wide and he forced himself to stay cool.

Rene chuckled a bit and looked back at Matt. "Sorry, partner. I should have warned you. George is a retired police detective."

At Matt's doubtful expression, George spoke up again, but kept his position on the ground. "I don't like sitting at home. My friends offer me a little extra money to keep an eye on things."

"George spent a lot of time working undercover. He enjoys this sort of thing. Although I bet your wife doesn't like doing your laundry."

George snorted. "She doesn't wash this outfit, you idiot. Listen, I've been keeping an eye out, like you asked. You aren't going to like this Enriquez, but I think there are cartel people here doing some kind of deal."

Enriquez looked at Matt, then back at George. "What makes you say that?"

"These guys are definitely Mexican. But they mean serious business. They were meeting with the Russkies at a bar near here. I snooped around a little. They have a meet set for tomorrow at two o'clock."

"Anything else, George?"

"That's it. Take off now, so I can leave and get home in time for the baseball game. And before you ask: I'm not coming back here. I don't want those nasties wondering about me."

"That's probably a good idea. Thanks, George. We'll be in touch another time." Rene pulled some bills from his pocket, dropped them on George, then walked quickly away with Matt.

Neither agent spoke until they were in the car and nearly back to Georgetown. At last, Matt spoke, but he was pensive. "Mexican cartel. Do you think they are supplying guns to the Russians? We don't know where the Russians are from, either. They could be wanting to stir something up in one of the former republics."

"Looks that way—though we only know for sure that they speak Russian—or something that sounds a lot like it. They could be from any country in that area. This light surveillance just got a lot more serious." Rene snorted. "George would never give up a chance to make a few hundred for dressing up like a bum unless it was something hardcore. He wants to live awhile yet."

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Francine walked up and knocked on Lee's open office door before calling out to him. "Hey, stranger!"

Lee closed the last of the files on his desk and looked up. "Francine! Perfect timing. Thanks for coming by here before heading home."

"Well, you said it was important."

"Come on in and shut the door." Lee got up from his desk and went over to one of the chairs. He motioned for Francine to have a seat. "Did you finally wrap up everything with the CIA?"

"Yes, it took forever. Please don't tell me you want me to debrief you right now. I thought we covered the basics over the phone."

"Stop worrying, Francine. You and I will be meeting about that in the morning. I called you in here for another reason. It won't take long." Lee ran his hand through his hair. Now that Francine was sitting in his office, the magnitude of what he was going to ask her hit him full force. He fought the urge to get up. _Pacing will just make her nervous._ "I met with Barclay today. In a nutshell, he's asked Amanda and me to take some time off—a couple of weeks."

A look of concern flashed across Francine's face. "Why would he ask you to take time off? You didn't ask him? Is there a problem?"

"Not really. We haven't had a vacation in a couple of years. He and I both agreed it was time."

Francine was no longer concerned, but doubtful. "Well, okay. That sounds like a good idea…shouldn't you be telling Amanda and not me?"

"Look, I haven't had time to tell Amanda. I know I should be talking to her first about all this, but I need to get the ball rolling—I'm asking you to fill in for me while I'm gone."

Francine let out a breath. She didn't answer immediately. Sitting back in the couch, she grew thoughtful.

Lee couldn't help himself. He got up and paced. "Honestly Francine, you've been running the bullpen—or helping to run it—off and on for the last thirty years."

"Let's not exaggerate—I worked part time when the girls were born. That went on for ten years."

"Will you consider it?"

"Of course I'll do it. But Lee, what has me worried is that you _asked_ me to do it. You could have just said, 'Francine, I'm going on vacation. Take over for me.' Why go to the trouble of asking?"

Lee stopped pacing and looked meaningfully at Francine.

"I figured as much. Don't say any more. We can talk more about this once you have talked to Amanda."

Lee began pacing again.

"Thanks, Francine. Who do you think should take over for Amanda while we're on vacation? Enriquez?"

"Hmm. You know, he and Granger have done really well as partners. I would hate to break that up. Granger has a lot of potential."

He stopped pacing for a moment. "Yeah, yeah. I hear that from Amanda. Okay, how about Wong?"

A doubtful expression flitted across Francine's face, but she replied, "That might work. He's already done some training sessions for Amanda and he's had a lot more field experience than Enriquez. Let's see what she thinks tomorrow. Right now, I am going to try to clean up my email inbox before it explodes."

Francine got up and headed for the door. Pausing, a smile came to her face. She looked back over her shoulder and asked in a saccharine-sweet voice, "Oh Lee, how is your golf game? Are you and Amanda planning to buy any rockers?"

Lee glowered at her. "Can it, Francine. We haven't had this discussion. Remember?"

Francine chuckled at Lee's growl and started to leave again, but she stopped short when Matt and Rene came to the door as she opened it.

"Granger, Enriquez. Anything come up during surveillance?" Lee asked.

Looking back and forth between Lee and Francine, Enriquez answered for both of them. "Sir, Ma'am. Actually, it was after surveillance. I think we should brief you both on this."

Lee motioned them to come in his office. Francine closed the door, and then sat back down on the couch. Lee went to sit behind his desk, while Matt and Rene stood by the windows.

"Sir, we may have a development in this Russian case."

"Go on."

"I asked one of my 'family' to do a little snooping in the neighborhood near the warehouse. He saw the Russians meet with what he swore were Mexican cartel members at a bar."

Lee fought the urge to curse. _Just when I was supposed to leave town._ "How reliable is this 'family' member, Enriquez? Is the intel good?"

"I'd say it's reliable—it's George."

Lee grimaced. George had a stellar record for reliable intel.

Francine spoke up. "Ahh. Are our Russian friends buying up guns because they are in a rebellious mood? Perhaps a little terrorist activity against the Kazakh government? Maybe a little skirmish in the Ukraine?"

Lee raised his eyebrows, but did not seem to find her bantering humorous. "That's what we need to find out. Then there are those comments Putin made about bringing back the Soviet Union. I'm sure the former republics will be full of activity soon, if they aren't already. Enriquez, Granger, I want you to get some more intel. Francine, help them set up a team. Rooftop surveillance, cameras, whatever it takes. I want to be on top of this when it goes down. If the cartel is selling arms to foreign citizens on U.S. soil, we are going to put a stop to it—after we figure out where the arms are going for certain."

All three spoke in unison. "Yes, Sir."

"Francine, I think you have this covered. Let me know the plan first thing tomorrow." Lee began to pack his briefcase.

"Say 'hi' to Amanda for me." Francine stood up and led Matt and Rene out of the office. Lee could hear her as she moved slowly away. "Let's get a plan going. We will need plenty of back up. And I might as well tell you now—you will all wear vests. Granger, I want you to get Leatherneck and Phillip in on this…"

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Amanda tried to stay focused on the road, but she kept replaying the visit with Dr. Kirby in her mind.

"From what you've been telling me, I think you have a mild form of post-traumatic stress disorder—you are not fully recovered from your ordeal. Tell me again how often you are having these dreams."

Amanda had shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She dreaded the questions that were coming. "Almost every night."

"I see. Tell me again what happens in the dream."

She sighed. "I'm in the warehouse basement again, running down the hallway, a feeling of panic rising in me, as if someone is after me. I'm calling for Lee, and I can hear his voice, but I can't find him. Then, I'm looking for my sons and my daughter—even my dead mother—and I can't find them either. Sometimes we suddenly end up outside…" Amanda stopped.

"Go on." Kirby gently prodded.

Amanda took a breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Someone, I guess Birol, has Lee, and he's taking him away. He puts a gun to Lee… That's as far as the dream has gone. The only voice I can hear is Lee's. Probably because he's trying to wake me up."

"Do you ever see the person chasing you? Are you sure someone is chasing you?"

"I'm not sure. I just feel that way."

"Have you had any flashbacks during the day?"

"Once or twice, but when I'm awake, I just use the techniques I learned from Pfaff. You know, take a breath, focus on something. That helps."

"Amanda, before you came in I was reading through your chart, refreshing myself on your background. Your father died when you were in high school, correct?"

"Yes…" Amanda was perplexed. _Why is he bringing up my father?_

"I can see you're confused." Kirby shifted in his seat. "Sometimes when we are worried about something, it manifests in our dreams. It may not be obvious to us…"

"I'm aware of that, Dr. Kirby. What does my father have to do with my dream?"

"Losing a parent at a young age is a traumatic experience that can trigger insecurities later in life."

Amanda leaned forward, interested now. "Lee experienced that. It was very difficult for him after I was nearly killed out in California."

"I think you are experiencing that now. You have had dreams about Lee dying before, haven't you?"

Amanda sat for a moment. _How does he know that?_ "Yes, years ago, while we were still in the field—well, when Lee was still in the field and I was put on desk duty because I was pregnant with Sarah. I figured it was the hormones."

Dr. Kirby was silent a moment, then looked back at Amanda's chart. "It says here that you haven't taken more than a few days off at a time for almost two years. How many hours a week do you usually work—really?"

"Normally, I work about forty-five to fifty hours—I might take a few hours off in an afternoon, but I work a lot of weekends. When my agents are assigned to tough cases I might work more hours."

"I see." Kirby wrote some notes in Amanda's chart. "I am going to recommend some vacation time for you, Amanda. Not just part-time hours, but at least one week off of work—I'd recommend two weeks, but I am not sure how that would fly with Barclay. I think you need to go somewhere relaxing, too. If you stay home, it won't help."

Amanda stared at him. "That's it? A vacation? What about my husband? He can't just pick up and leave, you know."

Kirby smiled. "That's probably why you haven't gone on vacation, right?"

"Yes." Amanda squirmed a bit. She made a habit of supporting Lee to everyone at the Agency, and didn't like the way the conversation was going.

"Well, I'm talking with him next. You two need to spend some time alone together, if you don't mind a little marriage advice along with my psychiatric evaluation. I am hoping that some extended rest for you will help those dreams to go away. That and time. Pfaff's techniques will help with the flashbacks. And, here's a prescription for sleeping pills. I know you don't like to take them, but I think you should give it a try. I believe an extended rest will help everything."

A horn blared. Amanda forced herself to concentrate on the road. _I need more sleep, he says. I am too old to go with such little sleep, he says. I hate sleeping pills. I'm not taking them_. Amanda exited the expressway and guided her white Volvo SUV along the tree-lined streets to her home on Maplewood Drive.

The house had not changed much over the years, but the trees were taller. Early in the summer of 1987, when Amanda and Lee had made their marriage public knowledge, Lee had abandoned his solitary apartment life to join Amanda and her family at the house. Dotty had offered to move out so they could have their privacy, but Lee had insisted on adding an apartment above the garage. Despite her initial hurt at finding that Lee and Amanda had married secretly months earlier, Dotty could not contain her excitement when Amanda announced she was pregnant. By the time Sarah arrived in early 1988, fences were mended and Amanda's mother was enjoying her cozy new home just steps away from the back door. Dotty had lived happily in the apartment until her death two years ago.

Now Sarah occupied Dotty's old home, and Amanda was grateful to have her companionship on some of the nights when Lee worked late. Amanda glanced up at the apartment before she went into the house_. I wonder how I'm going to tell Lee about Sarah and Matt._ She shook her head and went inside.

After changing into capris and a t-shirt, she looked around the bedroom. Lee had left boxers and socks lying on the floor, and a basket of dirty clothes sat in the corner. She set to work cleaning up the room, and then moved downstairs to start a load of laundry and put the kitchen in order.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

A few hours later, Lee was guiding his silver BMW sedan along the same route Amanda had taken earlier. Despite the new development in the Russian case, he was determined to conjure up the good mood he had been in earlier. _Heh heh. So Kirby had the same plan as Barclay. Imagine that! At least I didn't have to go through the third degree. I don't know why Amanda doesn't like him. _

Lee sobered after a moment. He thought about Kirby's analysis of Amanda's mental state. _Exhaustion—physical and mental. Overworked. Possibly headed for burnout. "Her dreams seem to indicate personal stress as well—she said you experienced the same anxiety after her near death in California," Kirby said. _

Lee's thoughts tumbled over one another. _Amanda needs to rest… Even though it might be hard to convince her, we both need to retire. I'm at the office more and more without her—while she spends evenings, even whole nights, alone. It's time for a change..._ Lee smiled in anticipation of the two weeks alone he would have with his wife. _In just a few days…_

Soon he was pulling in the driveway. As Lee he got out, Sarah's car pulled up to the curb. Since the incident with Birol, he had asked Sarah to drive to the Metro station, rather than walk. He watched her lock her car and walk up the driveway with her purse on her shoulder and her briefcase in hand. It never ceased to amaze him how much Sarah looked like Amanda. Some had said Sarah favored both of her parents, but he could only see his wife in their daughter."Hiya, beautiful! How was it today?"

Sarah smiled. "Hey, Daddy. I gave some tours in the morning, and started working on my exhibit this afternoon. How about you? You're home early for a change."

"I promised your mother I'd be home for dinner. Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?"

"Can't wait!"

"Let's meet at Nedlinger's. I won't have a real long time—I'll explain tomorrow. See you at twelve?" Lee knew he would be pressed to get everything ready for Francine by Friday or Saturday, but he wanted to be sure to have time with Sarah before they left town. For now, he knew he had a lot to work on this evening with Amanda.

"Sounds good! I'd better run. I'm meeting a friend at the gym, and then having dinner."

Lee wrapped one arm around Sarah and kissed her cheek. "See you tomorrow, pumpkin."

"Bye, Daddy."

Still buoyant with his good news, he decided not to go in the back door as usual. Stepping carefully around the flowers, he crept to the open kitchen window. He peeked in without Amanda seeing him. Even at sixty, Amanda still possessed a trim figure and looked as beautiful as she had when he had first picked her out of the crowd at the train station twenty-eight years earlier. He admired the view of his lovely wife as she put a dish in the oven. Standing up straight, he waited for her to turn around.

Amanda heard a noise outside the window and turned around, ready to hide behind the cooking island. She started when she saw Lee's face.

"Oh, my gosh! Lee, you nearly gave me a heart attack. It's been years since you've done that." Amanda's shock soon turned to amusement as Lee gave her a silly, dimpled grin, then a look of triumph before he headed for the back door.

"Hello to you, too, my dear," he said as he let himself in and put his briefcase on the floor near the table.

"Hi, Lee. What got into you, anyway?"

Rather than answer, Lee wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her soundly. He pulled away and looked down at her. "I'm just in a good mood, I guess. You know, I wouldn't even admit it to myself for a long time, but I really enjoyed watching you and your family through that window. It was years before I actually walked through the front door."

Her eyebrows raised in mock consternation, she nodded. "Yes, Lee the voyeur."

"Hey, I was just making sure you were okay."

Long before he had admitted it to himself, Amanda had figured out the real reason Lee came to her back door so often. She gave him a peck on the cheek and moved to the sink. Lee looked around the spotless kitchen just as the dryer buzzed.

"Hey, why don't you let me change my clothes and take over in here? Go sit down for a spell. I'm betting you haven't sat down since you got home." Lee picked up his briefcase. "Dinner smells good."

"I'll sit down after I get the clothes out of the dryer."

Lee kissed her hair as he passed her to go to the stairs. "Promise?"

Amanda looked up at Lee, forcing herself to smile cheerfully. Truthfully, she couldn't wait to sit down. "I promise. Take your time. I already started the rice. You just need to get the vegetables ready." Amanda started for the dryer and stopped herself. "Oh, Lee? Did you see if Sarah was back home?"

"Yes, she is. But, she's heading out again in a few minutes."

As Lee entered the bedroom, he felt a pang of guilt. The dirty laundry he had left on the floor was gone. Amanda had picked up his mess. Again. _Stetson, no wonder the woman is exhausted, cleaning up after you. She's putting on an act to keep me from worrying._ He hurried to change his clothes. _Maybe I can vacuum before I go back downstairs_.


	4. Chapter 4

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Four

After Lee went up to their bedroom, Amanda dashed outside and up the stairs to Sarah's apartment. She knocked softly and kept her voice down. "Sarah, it's Mom."

Sarah came to the door, dressed in her workout clothes with her shoes in hand. "Hi, Mom. I'm sorry, but I'm rushing right back out…"

Amanda slipped inside and shut the door after her. "I won't keep you. I just need you to know that I saw you with Matt today at the pub. I think Matt is a great guy—truth be told, he's one of the best recruits I've ever worked with—but you know your father may go through the roof if he thinks you two are dating."

"Mom, we're just friends. We've gone out to lunch a few times. That's it. I haven't even broken off officially with Jeff."

Amanda was concerned. "Oh Sarah, you need to take care of that. We talked two weeks ago about you breaking up with him. You are leading the poor man on."

"I plan to call him tonight after his classes. Don't worry. …You know, he came to the museum today." Sarah hesitated, a troubled look on her face. "I should have done what you suggested weeks ago… Listen, are you going to tell Daddy?"

"About Matt? I won't unless he asks me. But I will eventually. I never keep secrets from your father. You need to tell him you are at least friends with Matt. Don't let him find out on his own—and he will. Trust me."

Sarah sighed. "Okay. I guess I know what we're talking about at lunch tomorrow. I had better get going."

"Enjoy your evening, sweetheart. I love you." Amanda leaned towards Sarah and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Sarah smiled at her mother. "Love you, too, Mom."

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Amanda met Lee at the bottom of the stairs with the basket of clean laundry. She smiled up at him. "Thank you for vacuuming, Scarecrow."

Lee reached to take the basket from Amanda. "You are welcome—it's a small thing for me to vacuum a room when you do most of the work around here—I wish you'd let me hire that cleaning service."

"I've always kept my own house, Lee. Besides, you and I don't make much of a mess."

"Give that to me and go sit down—please." Lee took the laundry upstairs, put it away, and brought the empty basket back down.

Wearing her reading glasses, Amanda sat on the couch with a magazine. She was having trouble focusing on the page, forcing herself to stay awake.

Lee glanced at her. _Maybe I'll be planning this vacation on my own. She looks so tired._ "What's for dinner besides the brown rice?"

"Chicken. The vegetables are on the counter. I was going to stir fry them." Lee went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. After pouring two glasses, he brought one over to Amanda. "Kirby told me he prescribed sleeping pills, but I know you won't take them. Will you try my remedy?"

Amanda laughed a little. "You know me very well, Mr. Stetson. What's your remedy?"

"I think you can guess. A little wine, a little time alone…but I'm jumping ahead of myself. Take this, and I'll start the vegetables."

Amanda took the glass. "Thank you. I like the sound of your remedy better. I have that prescription, but I left it in my purse."

Soon dinner was ready. Amanda went into the dining room. Lee put an old jazz record on the turntable and joined her at the table. "How did it go with Kirby?"

"Oh, Lee, we both know he filled you in when you saw him. I need a vacation, and there's no chance I'll get one. I'll live."

Lee grinned at her, bursting with his news. "You're right, he did fill me in. However, Barclay beat him to the punch. He wants us to take two weeks."

Amanda was stunned. "You're kidding!"

"It would be as soon as I can clear my desk—and that will be soon, because I've already passed the latest case to Francine to supervise. I was thinking, we always go to our little hideway…"

"You know I love to go to the mountains, Lee, and I know you miss the horses, but we'll have two weeks…"

Lee waved his hand dismissively. "We can see the horses another time. Fred takes good care of them—he's hired a couple of girls to exercise them—they'll keep. Besides, you don't need to deal with allergies on your vacation. I'd like to go to the beach—the Outer Banks, the Florida Keys, maybe..."

"Oh, Lee, the Outer Banks would be perfect. We could just get in the car together, take our time…" Amanda grew animated.

Lee sat back and enjoyed seeing the excitement in her face while he listened to her mini-ramble.

"…maybe we could end up at Harry's place. Do you suppose anyone else would need it? …What are you grinning at?"

"You. I love seeing you happy like this."

Amanda blushed. "Oh, I'm just excited. What do you think about staying at Harry's?"

"I'd love to stay there with you. As for anyone else needing it, I am sure I can claim it for a couple of weeks if Barclay is willing to put in a word. I've heard they refurbished it and hired new management staff."

"Even better! Oh, Lee, I can hardly believe this is really happening." Amanda smiled at Lee and sighed happily.

He reached out for her hand and brought it to his lips. He grew serious. "I am making sure it is happening, Mrs. Stetson." Lee looked at Amanda for a long moment before releasing her hand. He went to change the record and light some candles in the living room.

Amanda got up and started to clear the table. Lee came to help her. "You know, I think it's been three years since we went to the house. Harry would not be happy that you and I weren't using it."

Lee grew thoughtful. "No, he wouldn't. He always had hoped we'd be together. I think he partially had us in mind when he donated it for the Agency's use."

"He treated you almost like a son." Amanda smiled lovingly at Lee, remembering how during her first encounter with Harry he had given her an inkling of Lee's feelings for her.

Lee stopped what he was doing to caress her cheek. "Amanda, I haven't told you everything."

Amanda put down the dish she was holding and looked in Lee's eyes. She could not make out his expression. "Lee, please don't go into agent mode with me. What is it?"

Lee fidgeted with the towel and looked down. "Barclay asked if I wanted to retire."

"And you said that sounded like a good idea."

Lee looked up at Amanda, surprised. "You aren't angry." It wasn't a question. _This is first time we've ever had a discussion about retirement without Amanda fighting me._

"Do you want me to retire, too?"

Lee hesitated.

"Because if you do, I'm ready, too."

Lee blew out his breath in relief.

"If you had brought this up a couple of months ago, I would have had a different reaction. I know how much the Agency means to you. But, you are working too hard, and I…"

"…don't want any more cases like Birol to mess up our lives?"

"Yes—that's part of it."

Lee put the towel down and wrapped his arms around his wife, drawing her tightly against him. They stood that way for a few minutes. Finally he spoke. "We aren't getting any younger, are we?"

Amanda only nodded. She didn't want to say the words. Her mother had become a widow in her fifties. Amanda was sixty.

Lee cupped Amanda's chin and gently forced her to look in his face. "Amanda, my health has never been better. Between the diet you have me on and our workout routine, I have no trouble passing the Agency physicals."

Amanda pulled away. "Lee, I think those candles will burn down out there without us."

Lee picked up his towel. "Barclay suggested we do some consulting, so I—we—wouldn't go crazy. Milk run stuff. Light intelligence work."

"Hmm. We'll have to think about that. Does anything stay 'milk run' with us?" The cloud had gone, and Amanda was doing her best to be lighthearted.

"With you, you mean?"

Amanda laughed and gave Lee a mock punch in the chest. "I guess I'll never live down those days, will I, Chief?"

Lee grew serious. "I didn't agree to anything. We have a couple of weeks to talk about it, think it through. Let's take our time." He leaned in to kiss Amanda, and then went back to drying the dishes.

Soon the kitchen was in order. Taking the wine glasses, he led the way to the living room. Lee turned off the lights, so only the candles illuminated the room. Soft music emanated from the speakers.

"Is this more of your over-the-counter remedy, Stetson?" Amanda offered Lee a meaningful look.

Lee sat down on the couch beside Amanda, drew her legs across his lap and put his arms around her. He kissed her gently, and then pulled her against him. "Let's just sit."

"I like this. It's been awhile." Amanda rested her head against him and felt the rumble of Lee's voice.

"Too long." He sighed and ran his hands up and down her back slowly for several minutes, occasionally slipping them under her shirt to massage her lower back a little. His cool hands felt soothing. Amanda began to relax. She fought to keep her eyes open. Soon they fluttered closed.

Lee could hear Amanda's even breathing. _Well, I guess my plan worked a little too well._ He smiled ruefully. _We'll have plenty of time alone together on vacation._ He sat quietly, enjoying Amanda's closeness. Her hair was soft against his cheek, and held the familiar scent of her shampoo. After a while, Lee felt himself beginning to drift off, too.

Knowing he had some things to do before bed, Lee carefully eased Amanda off of his lap and onto the couch as he got up. He smiled as she sighed quietly when he placed a throw pillow under her head. After looking down at her thoughtfully for a few moments, he went to the computer in the den. _Might as well make sure that house is available._

Lee was closing the windows when he heard Sarah come home. Being careful not to wake Amanda, he blew out the candles in the living room, and went to the kitchen to gather up the trash. As he stepped outside, he heard Sarah's voice float down from her open window. Another voice joined hers. _Who could that be at this time of night?_ Lee quietly put the trash in the dumpster, and then crept to the bushes below the window to listen.

"Sarah, we've been together for four years. How could you just throw it all away? There must be someone else."

Lee recognized Jeff's voice. He knew he shouldn't be listening, but he stayed rooted to his spot under the window.

"Jeff, this has been coming for a while."

"But, we were talking about getting married as soon as you finished your thesis."

"_You_ were talking about getting married. You might remember that I said I wasn't ready."

"I figured I asked too soon. You'd had a rough semester."

"I haven't even heard from you for weeks, and then you show up at the museum."

"I was trying to give you space."

_Loser. That old line won't work on Sarah. She's too smart for that._ Lee was smiling smugly to himself.

"I know, Jeff, and I appreciate it, but during that time, I've done a lot of thinking…"

Lee frowned. _Who waits four weeks to talk to the woman they want to marry? I don't think I've ever gone more than two weeks without talking to Amanda, even when we were supposed to be on zero communication. _Lee tried to think of some way he could tell Sarah that she was being naïve with Jeff without letting her know he'd overheard.

"…I'm so sorry to hurt you like this, Jeff." Lee could hear footsteps. "Wait! Please don't storm out like this. Can't we say goodbye after four years?"

Jeff was not answering. He slammed the door to the apartment. Lee quickly slipped behind the bushes so Jeff would not see him. He waited there for a moment, and then started back for the house. A sound stopped him. He listened. Sarah was crying softly. He could picture her on the sofa near the window. _Oh, hell. She needs her father. Maybe she won't figure out I was eavesdropping…_ He started up the stairs.

Lee knocked on Sarah's door. "Pumpkin. It's Daddy."

After a moment, Sarah opened the door. Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Lee stepped inside and shut the door. His arms went around Sarah and drew her in close. They stood there for several minutes until Sarah was quiet.

"I broke up with Jeff. I guess you saw him leave."

Lee didn't say anything. He stroked Sarah's hair and waited for her speak again.

"Honestly, Daddy, I don't even know why I'm crying. I haven't even missed Jeff this last month."

"Maybe because you didn't have to see him and face things until tonight…"

Sarah pulled back and looked at Lee. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know what was going on." Lee stepped over to the tissue box and handed a couple of them to Sarah. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay. I just needed to cry—and get a hug. It didn't end so well." She blew her nose and wiped her face, gathering herself together. "How's Mom? She's been so tired lately."

"She's taking a nap. We had a good evening—we're planning a two-week vacation." Lee grinned at her.

"Really? That's perfect for you. You _both_ need it."

"But will you really be okay with us leaving? It may be next week. This isn't just a little fling that ended tonight." Lee grew serious again and put his hands on Sarah's shoulders. He tilted his head to one side so he could see her face.

"I'll be okay, Daddy. Thank you for letting me cry on your shoulder." Sarah smiled up at Lee. "Besides, I have some fun things going on at work—friends—I'll stay busy."

Lee smiled at Sarah. "That's my girl." He hugged her again before giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow. We can talk some more then, okay?"

"I can't wait. Good night!"

"Night, pumpkin." Lee slipped out the door and went back to the house. Sarah closed the window and sat down on the sofa. She sighed and looked at the photo of Jeff near her. She laid it face down on the side table, and then went to get ready for bed.

Lee entered the house quietly and locked the door automatically as he mulled over the news about Jeff. _That was way too easy. And that lunch cancellation today. I wonder if…_ He startled and tensed as he heard a movement by the front door. Amanda stepped into the light from the stairs and he relaxed. He walked over to join her.

"Once an agent, always an agent, huh Stetson?" Amanda hadn't missed Lee's reaction.

"I guess I figured you were still asleep on the couch."

"Some date, right?"

Lee moved to put an arm around Amanda as they headed up the stairs together. "You were tired, and we had had our couch time."

Amanda smirked. "Times have changed for the Scarecrow."

"Hey, I was just trying to let you off easy. Just wait until we get on our vacation."

Amanda looked at Lee sideways and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. He grew thoughtful as he turned down the covers and started to undress. He spoke in the direction of the bathroom so Amanda could hear him.

"I overheard something when I was taking out the trash…"

Amanda came out of the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth. She looked questioningly at Lee.

"Sarah broke up with Jeff. She was crying, so I went up to be with her for a few minutes."

Amanda went back to the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth so she could talk to Lee about Sarah. He followed her and leaned against the doorjamb while she rinsed her mouth.

"You don't seem surprised."

"You know I told her two weeks ago that she needed to break up with him. I'm unhappy she waited this long."

Lee looked down at his hands, and then raised his eyes.

Amanda recognized his sheepish expression and waited for him to speak.

"You know, I'm relieved. I just never clicked with Jeff."

"Oh, Lee."

"Tell me that you think they were the perfect couple." Lee challenged Amanda with his eyes. She quickly lowered hers and reached for her makeup remover. He picked up his toothbrush and toothpaste. "In fact, he reminded me of Dan."

Amanda sighed. She had known that Lee was not very fond of Jeff, but he had never said much about it. "It was Dean. And, I know you weren't very close to Jeff. Thank you for keeping your feelings to yourself, Lee. You've gotten better about that."

Lee stopped brushing for a moment. "I guess I did give you a hard time about Don."

"Dean. And a few others while, I might add, _you_ were still playing the part of the midnight rambler. But let's not get into that. How was Sarah when you left her?"

Lee finished rinsing his mouth. "She was doing pretty well. She had a good cry, but she was okay when I left her. I told her we were going on vacation and she was pretty chipper about it. I am really wondering if she's found someone else already."

Amanda, who was putting on her nightgown, froze for a moment. She tried to cover her reaction. "You said that earlier today. Maybe you should ask her about that tomorrow." Amanda finished with the nightgown and sat down on the bed.

Lee was watching her. "Amanda Stetson, you know something and you aren't telling me."

"You need to talk to your daughter, Lee."

Lee's eyes narrowed. "Fine." He finished stripping down to his t-shirt and boxers before getting into bed beside Amanda.

"Oh Lee, please don't be upset with me. I just think she should talk to you herself. I saw her today while I was at lunch and confronted her about it this evening."

Lee sighed. "You're right. You always are. I just hate being out of the loop."

"I'm sorry." Amanda turned herself so she was facing Lee, who sat with his back against the headboard. She reached out to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes and put his hand up to cover hers.

"You know, that nap really helped tonight, Lee. I'm not nearly as sleepy as I was earlier." She smiled at him as he opened his eyes to look at her. He turned her hand so he could kiss her palm, and then looked back into her eyes.

When Lee finally spoke, his voice was low and rumbled in his chest. "It has been awhile." Amanda drew closer to him as he reached over and turned off the light.


	5. Chapter 5

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Five

Knowing they would be working late together, Lee drove Amanda to the Agency the next morning. They walked into the Georgetown foyer of IFF. It had changed dramatically in the years since the 1980s. Now visitors and employees were greeted by not one receptionist, but several. These receptionists were really armed guards who kept weapons available under their desk, much like Mrs. Marston had done so many years ago. After scanning their I.D. cards, employees went through a special entrance. On the other side of those doors, they were required to pass a biometric scan of their hand and their retina before being allowed onto the elevator to the lower levels of the Agency.

At this early hour, no one joined Lee and Amanda as they entered the elevator. Lee resumed their conversation from the car. "Once we get through this meeting with Francine and the rest of her team, I'll be meeting with her to finish up our debriefing about her meetings at Langley."

Amanda knew that Lee was skirting around the topic, trying to avoid saying Birol's name. There had been no dream last night, but he did not want to spark a flashback, and she knew it. "It was kind of Gil to pull some strings for Marjan's family."

"I expect you'll be meeting with Matt and the other freshman agents? Making sure they are ready for the op?

"Yes… Lee, I plan to go along this afternoon. I'll stay with Phillip and listen in. It will be good for the debriefing afterwards."

The elevator doors opened and they walked towards the bullpen. "Amanda…you could do that from here. That truck driver Enriquez and Granger photographed is a known cartel member."

"Lee, I'll be in an armor plated vehicle with state of the art surveillance equipment. Phillip will be there, and the doors will be locked." Amanda grew a little defensive, prepared to hold her ground. "Besides, I am still the freshman supervisor and I want to finish well with this class."

Lee stopped outside the bullpen and leaned in to speak to Amanda quietly. "I can't argue with your excellent logic, but that doesn't mean I won't be worried about you."

"Lee, you can't do your job if you're worried about me. I'll be okay. I'm more worried about you."

Lee smiled and squeezed her hand. "This may be our last major op, you know. That's why I'm going to let you tag along, and you're going to concentrate on your agents and not worry about the section chief."

"Right." Amanda squeezed Lee's hand back and went to her office, while he went to his.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Lee squeezed his long frame into the booth at Nedlinger's. "Thanks for meeting me here, Sarah. It's a busy day for us, but I wanted to be sure we got in a visit before your mom and I left town."

"It's fun coming here, Daddy." She looked around. A few younger agents came to the old watering hole, but it was mostly filled with "old-time spooks," as her father called them.

"So, how are you doing after last night? Did you sleep okay?" Lee peered closely at Sarah's face to gauge her reaction. He was not disappointed.

"Yes, I'm fine. It really helped to have you come up. Thanks, Daddy." Sarah stared at the table for a moment before speaking further. "You know, I think I went through the grieving part after Jeff proposed. That first week was a bit rough. Then, when he didn't return my calls, I realized that I wasn't missing the love of my life—I was missing my friend. And even then, I wasn't missing him very much. I don't love Jeff. It's time to move on."

Lee listened through Sarah's speech, mentally punching the air with his fist. But he hid his exuberation from his daughter. "I'm glad you figured that out before you started making wedding plans."

"Don't worry. You still have time to save for the big day." Sarah laughed lightly.

Once they had ordered and the food had arrived, they chatted for a while about Lee and Amanda's trip to the Outer Banks and Sarah's new exhibit at the spy museum. Lee was used to Sarah plying him for information for her research projects. He enjoyed hearing her enthusiasm for the "old days" of Cold War espionage. Soon she grew quiet and lowered her eyes.

"Daddy, I have something to tell you. I've been seeing someone—just friends—but I wanted you to know."

Lee had been waiting for this. "If it involves one of my agents, does he know you're telling me?"

Sarah's mouth dropped open. "How do you know?"

"A lucky guess, really. I heard some things at work, and put two and two together after you postponed our lunch date, then broke up with Jeff last night."

"You haven't asked me who it is."

"I think I can guess. Do you realize that he's probably not told anyone? If you tell me, you are breaking his trust. Remember, I'm not just your father, I'm his boss. For that matter, your mom is his boss."

"Mom told me that I needed to be honest with you."

"And I've always loved that about you—you've always confided in me, Sarah. If he's willing to risk his job to see you, he must think a lot of you."

Sarah sat quietly. Lee could see she was miserable. "You think a lot of him, too, don't you? If you do, then you both need to come clean with your mother and me by talking to us together. If I've guessed correctly about who it is, I might make an exception to my rule about you dating agents."

"I'm so sorry Daddy. I didn't mean for this to happen. I know how much you worry about Mom, and I know how much you've tried to protect me—keep me safe. I know that's why you didn't want me to become involved with an agent. I didn't want to put you through that. But, we met accidentally, and we've become friends. I just couldn't help myself. It all happened at the same time Jeff and I drifted apart." Sarah's eyes grew moist.

"Sarah, I didn't make that rule lightly. I also knew how you might be treated. For every decent guy in the Agency, there's ten jerks. Then, there's the rumor mill. I can't tell you how much pain that caused your mother before we announced our marriage. Things haven't changed in twenty-four years."

Sarah took a tissue from her purse. "It seems like every time we're together lately, I'm crying. I just hate disappointing you."

Lee reached over and took Sarah's hand. "Oh Sarah, I'm not disappointed in you. Your mom and I went through the same thing when we fell in love. We snuck around, trying to keep it a secret from everyone. We only ended up hurting ourselves and everyone else's feelings. You're a grown woman now. I need to recognize that."

"Daddy, we aren't in love. We don't know each other that well."

Lee smiled to himself as Sarah busied herself with the tissue. He replied nonchalantly. "Oh, then you won't mind splitting up and following my rule after all, then."

"Daddy, I didn't mean that…" Sarah saw Lee was joking. She grew quiet. "There's just something there that I never felt with Jeff."

Lee stared at Sarah. Alarm bells were going off in his head. He had not wanted Sarah to become involved with anyone from the Agency, thinking he could stop the "family tradition" and perhaps offer a safer life for his daughter. His thoughts tumbled over one another. _She's falling for the guy. You can go two ways here, Stetson. You can make it impossible for Granger to date your daughter and break her heart, or you can let things take their course. If you hadn't met Amanda by chance that morning at the train station, think of where you'd be today. They met by chance, too…_ He knew what his decision would be. As much as he hated breaking his own rule, he hated the idea of hurting his daughter far more.

Lee glanced at his watch. "Listen, I'm sorry pumpkin, but I have to get back to the Agency. Talk to your friend and see if we can meet together before your mom and I leave town."

"I don't want to mess up your vacation plans."

"This is important, Sarah. I know your mom would agree."

Sarah nodded her agreement and Lee waved to the waiter for the bill.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Phillip busied himself with microphone and headset checks as Amanda settled into a seat nearby inside the surveillance van. She watched the monitors come to life as agents in various locations nearby set up cameras. The meet was not likely to occur for another two hours, but it was their usual procedure to set up surveillance teams well in advance so they would not tip off the subjects of their operations. Amanda had brought along her laptop and some paperwork to help pass the time—and to clear her desk ahead of her vacation.

"Keeping busy, Mom? You never could sit still for long."

"Yes. I have mounds of forms and documents to get through before the weekend. I need to finalize training assessment on this class of freshmen. How are things setting up? We haven't had any surprises?"

"Nope. Smooth as glass."

"Was Leatherneck sorry to stay behind?"

"You know, I think he's giving me the reins more and more. Do you think he's getting ready to retire?"

Amanda thought for a moment. Lee hadn't given her the all clear to tell anyone what they were considering. "I wouldn't be surprised, I guess. He's been at the Agency a long time."

Their conversation was interrupted by Lee calling Phillip for an update. He had not come to the site, yet. His plan was to arrive closer to the meet time of two o'clock and keep an eye on things back at the Agency. Amanda also knew that he was trying to clear his desk—a monumental task.

On a roof nearby, Matt and Rene were setting up their surveillance equipment. Rene checked in with Johnson and Gonzales across the street. "Can you see us?"

"Nope. How about us?"

"Tell Gonzales his fly is unzipped."

"Very funny, Enriquez. I take it we're out of sight, then?"

Francine broke in. "Can it, you two."

The laughter died away.

Matt peered through the scope at the various surveillance locations around the area. He spotted Chang's head. "Chang, I can see you."

"Thanks, Granger."

Johnson laughed. "Ha, shown up by a rookie, Chang."

Rene and Matt looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Soon everyone grew quiet. They would be under radio silence until after the operation was over.

Rene put his hand over his mic and sighed. "Man, this vest is hot. We're in the full sun here."

Matt raised his eyebrows and covered his mic. "You never had to run ten miles in full battle gear."

"Point taken."

An hour later Lee parked behind the surveillance van. Before he could give the "knock," Amanda was opening the door. They briefly smiled at each other and she said, "Saw you coming, Chief." He slipped quickly inside. Since Phillip had started the operations tape for the activities inside the surveillance van, Lee and Amanda did not give one another their usual greeting. She sat back down at her station. Lee took the spot next to Phillip, who gave him an update, even though nothing had changed since Lee had last called. Francine, who had joined them earlier, continued to watch the monitors, barely acknowledging Lee when he entered.

They all sat quietly. Amanda finished her paperwork and put it away. Lee glanced over at her.

"Training documentation."

Lee nodded and winked at her. "Looks like you are clearing up some paperwork, Mrs. Stetson. Vacation plans?"

"You know, it's about time you two went off by yourselves. I can't remember the last time you went anywhere except the cabin."

"You're right, Phillip. This is long overdue. Let's just hope everything goes smoothly this afternoon."

After about twenty minutes, Phillip sat up straight in his seat. "I see some activity—one hundred feet to the northwest of Johnson and Gonzales."

A white paneled truck with a shipping company logo pulled up to the warehouse. Three men jumped out. They were fair skinned.

"I assume those are our Russian friends." Lee watched their movement, and then glanced at the other screens.

From their location on the roof across the street, Rene and Matt strained to watch the men slipping into the building. Matt used his scope to scan the area for other subjects. He saw two men observing the activity. He nudged Rene with his elbow.

Rene nodded and trained his scope on the observers. They were not Agency men.

Soon the three re-emerged from the building, joined by three others pushing carts loaded with crates. As they loaded the truck, Phillip zoomed in so they could identify the logos on the crates.

"It looks like some kind of piping supplier. There are diagrams on the side showing some kind of industrial piping supplies."

"Probably a disguise for the contents. Have we seen the cartel operative from yesterday, yet? I don't recognize these guys." Lee was peering at the monitor, trying to identify the men.

Francine spoke. "Lee, these men don't look familiar to me, either. I don't remember seeing photos of any of them before." She looked over at Amanda, who had already begun scanning the computer, trying to see if she could pull up a photo of one of them.

Matt and Rene kept their scopes trained on the activity below them. From their crouched positions, they could see the six men were loading the truck with the crates. They did not hear the quiet steps behind them until it was too late. They each felt the barrel of a gun at the back of their heads.

"Put your weapons down. Slowly." The Mexican accent was thick.

As Rene lowered his weapon, he tried to turn his head slightly so he could see the gunmen.

"Ah, I see we have a hermano here. You are betraying your Hispanic brothers." The voice was accusatory.

Rene remained silent.

In the surveillance van, Phillip could hear faint voices over the monitors. All four remained silent as he tried to pick up on the conversation. "Lee, I think Granger and Enriquez have at least one visitor. He sounds like he's cartel."

Lee picked up a headset so he could speak into the mike, abandoning the rule of radio silence. "Johnson, Gonzales. Can you see what's happening with Enriquez and Granger?"

"There's three of them, Chief. I'm directing my camera to that location." Gonzales' voice was tense.

"Johnson, I'd like to take them alive, but shoot if you have to."

A third man approached Matt and kicked his legs. "Get down on your stomach, perro." As Matt lowered himself to the ground, the man kicked him again, this time in the left kidney. Matt grunted with the violence of the kick and involuntarily pulled into a fetal position. "I told you to lay on your stomach, dog." He kicked Matt again.

Rene felt the gun move away from his head. He watched the three men converge on Matt from the corner of his eye. He slowly reached for his weapon and turned towards the attackers.

The scene on the rooftop played out on the van's monitors. One of the men held a gun on one of the agents, while the other two were kicking someone at their feet. The third man moved towards the other two, then whipped back around and fired three shots. As the agent flew backward, Johnson instantly took aim and pulled the trigger on his sniper rifle. The gunman who shot Rene fell to the rooftop while the other two ran for cover. Johnson fired three more shots before the assailants disappeared behind the door to the stairs. Giving up on the assailants, Johnson rushed after Gonzales to help Matt and Rene.

Francine began barking orders to the agent teams in the area.

On the ground, the six men heard the gunfire and quickly finished loading the truck. The three Russians scrambled to get in, while the three cartel members jumped in the back. The vehicle roared to life and took off down the block.

Lee waited for Francine to stop speaking. "Whatever happens, make sure we have someone on that truck. We have to know where those weapons were going."

"I've got three vehicles following the truck and several teams trying to intercept the assailants."

Amanda anxiously watched the rooftop where Granger and Rene had been positioned. At least one of them had lost their mic, but she could make out a voice. "Who's assisting Granger and Enriquez, Phillip? I've already notified NEST. We have a chopper on the way."

"Gonzales told Francine that he and Johnson were going to help Granger and Enriquez." They exchanged meaningful looks. "I've been listening, too. I can't quite make out who's been shot. One mic is gone and the other is damaged. It sounds like it might be Granger calling out to Enriquez."

Gonzales and Johnson burst through the rooftop access, guns drawn. After making sure the only other people up there were Enriquez, Granger, and the downed gunman, they ran over to the men. Johnson checked the pulse of the assailant. "This one's dead."

Rene lay sprawled on his back, his shirt ripped in three places from the bullets, but there was no blood. Matt was struggling to crawl over to him. His voice was urgent, pleading. "Rene, can you hear me? Wake up, man."

Gonzales was checking Rene's pulse. He looked up at Matt. "Take it easy, Granger. He's just unconscious. He's breathing okay, although he's had the wind knocked out of him and then some. NEST is on its way."

Johnson attempted to help Matt, but he was pushed away.

Gonzales spoke. "I think he's starting to come to."

Rene gasped convulsively and woke up with a shudder. He looked up at Gonzales' face, confused. After a moment his mind cleared, and he began to look around for Matt. His partner was painfully pulling himself to a sitting position. Rene tried to speak. "Matt…"

"He's okay, Rene. Just feeling like he had the crap kicked out of him."

"He did."

Soon they heard the NEST helicopter approaching. It landed on the far end of the roof. A team of two doctors and nurses ran up with their equipment. One of the doctors bent to assess the fallen assailant. Shaking her head, she moved on to help the agents.

In the van, Lee took off his headset. He looked at Amanda. "I think you and I should head over to the hospital." He turned to Francine. "You've got this covered?"

Francine waved her hand towards the door. "Get going. Those two are going to need you."


	6. Chapter 6

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Six

Amanda gathered up her briefcase and her purse and followed Lee to the door of the van. He held it open and helped her down the stairs before guiding her to the car. He looked at her as he opened the car door for her. Neither one of them liked this part of their jobs, but he knew it was harder for Amanda. She was quiet, her mouth set in a grim line. He gave her back a quick caress. "Rene was talking, Amanda. They'll be okay."

"I know. I'm worried about Matt right now." She didn't say anymore, but Lee knew what she was thinking. After Amanda was seated and he had shut the passenger door, he went around to his side of the car.

Once they were on their way to the hospital, he picked up the conversation again. "I know you're worried about Matt. I was thinking of Sarah, too."

"Yes, and now that he's moving beyond freshman status, I'll admit I've always had a soft spot for him…"

"Like daughter, like mother?" Lee cocked his head in question and grinned at her.

Amanda laughed softly. "She told you it was Matt?"

"Actually, I put two and two together. We never said his name, though. I suggested that we all get together and talk about it."

"Lee, I'm all for that, but are you going to tell them to forget it? I think Sarah may be serious about Matt. You should have seen them together. This isn't just a flirtation."

"I know. I got that from Sarah. I was thinking of bending my rule for Matt."

"Lucky for him he saved your life." Amanda grinned at Lee.

It was Lee's turn to laugh. "That isn't all of it. I've been watching him. He's a stable guy, not given to the practical joking and womanizing some of the other agents indulge in. He reminds me of Jamie in a way. Kind of serious, mature for his age… I can see why Sarah likes him. She and Jamie have always been close."

"He's a loner, you know. He doesn't have a lot of friends, yet."

"Yeah. But, he's pretty close to Enriquez and his wife."

"You should talk with him, Lee. He may be pretty shaken up."

Lee looked over at Amanda. He knew all too well how it felt to have a partner shot. He'd lost not only a partner, but a good friend. Then, he had almost lost his wife on their honeymoon. He winced at that memory and at the thought of another time, when the bullet had only grazed her. "I'll find a way to talk with him."

Lee held Amanda's hand the rest of the way to the hospital. He prayed that the shooting wouldn't trigger a flashback for her, but she did not seem anxious, just sober.

Since it was still the middle of the afternoon, the emergency room was not very busy. Lee checked at the desk. He sat down with Amanda. "No status, but the gal did tell me that Enriquez was awake and talking when they wheeled him in. We should be hearing from one of the NEST doctors soon."

"I'll give Patti a call." Lee watched as Amanda punched in the number. She sat back in her chair. He lightly rubbed her leg, and then put an arm around her while she talked to Rene's wife. Amanda was careful to skirt the real issue for Rene's hospital visit. She knew from personal experience it would be better for Patti to have Rene tell her himself.

Not long after Patti arrived, one of the NEST doctors came out. Patti looked on hopefully as she addressed Lee. "Chief Stetson? I'm Dr. Heird." The two shook hands. "We've finished our assessment of Agent Granger. He's going to be a bit sore for a few days. He has several bruises, including a large contusion over one of his kidneys, but we ran a CT and there is no internal damage. Between the vest and his excellent physical condition, that young man has a lot to be thankful for."

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief, while Lee ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah. Thanks, doctor. May we see him?"

"Yes. He was just waiting to finish the paperwork."

Patti stood up as the doctor turned to go. "Dr. Heird, is there any word on Agent Enriquez?"

The doctor smiled at her. "You should hear any moment. I'm sorry for the delay. He would not let us assess him until we'd taken care of his partner."

Patti sat back down. "Thank you." She looked at Lee and Amanda. "That sounds like Rene."

Amanda patted her hand. "I'm sure he's fine, Patti. The doctor didn't seem too concerned." Amanda turned to Lee. "I'll go debrief Granger. It shouldn't take long."

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

"I'll be right back to take out that I.V. in a moment. Are you sure you don't want Dr. Heird to give you some pain medication?" Nurse Lindsay waited expectantly.

Matt shook his head. "No thanks." He leaned back gingerly and closed his eyes after she left. He was tired even after the short debriefing with Amanda.

Soon the vision replayed in his mind. _He felt the cold steel of the gun's muzzle against the back of his head. He couldn't see anything, but he knew that Rene's assailant didn't like the fact that he was a Mexican-American federal agent. Matt remembered praying fervently that someone would take out the cartel members with a sniper bullet._

_Without warning, he had felt a vicious kick in his back. Paralyzed with pain, he could only curl up in a fetal position as at least one other gunman assailed him. The other blows weren't as hard, but they were coming from all directions. Then he heard them. Three shots nearby. He could feel the thud of Rene's body landing on the hard surface of the roof, then another thud soon after. Assuming he had blacked out, Matt remembered slowly opening his eyes, realizing that he was alone on the roof with Rene and one of the men, who had blood oozing out of a wound in his head._

_Rene lay unmoving. Matt struggled to his knees and slowly tried to cover the distance to his partner. Despite the lack of blood on his chest, the gaping holes in Rene's shirt were terrifying. Rene's still face made Matt wonder if he was dead. He kept calling to Rene, but there was no response. Gonzales came and kneeled down by Rene's side. Matt watched Gonzales try to revive Rene. Suddenly he had convulsed, waking up with a violent shudder. Matt wanted to cry out in relief, but he was unable to move, his head swimming with the effort of sitting up…_

A knock broke Matt's reverie. He opened his eyes, and saw Lee standing there.

"Chief." Matt's voice was flat.

"You okay, Granger? You look like you've been through hell." Lee wore a look of commiseration.

Matt was sure his section chief probably knew more about his condition than he did. "I'm okay."

"They tell me you won't take anything for pain."

"Nah. I hate that feeling. I'll be okay."

Nurse Lindsay came back in and set to work removing Matt's I.V. "All of your paperwork is settled now, Agent Granger. You can get dressed and go home. Just make sure you get that rest the doctor ordered." She smiled at Matt and left the room.

Matt started to climb out of bed.

"Do you want me to step out?"

"I don't care."

Lee smiled as he turned around. "One doesn't stay shy in the military."

"Nope." Lee heard a sharp intake of air and turned back around.

"Need some help?"

"No, I've got it." Matt reached again for his shirt. Lee caught a glimpse of his back and grimaced.

"No one would think the less of you if you took some pain meds, Granger. Like I said, you look like hell."

"No, thanks. I want to be able to think clearly. I can take some Advil when I get home."

Lee was quiet for a moment. "You've been reliving it, haven't you?"

Matt didn't say anything. He concentrated on the buttons of his shirt.

"Why don't you let me take you home? Amanda needs to stay here with Patti. I can come back and get her. I'll just be a minute." Before Matt could answer, Lee had left.

Lee found Amanda and Patti talking with Dr. Fassbender. "…we'd like to keep him a little longer—until the radiologist has seen his CT. He had quite a bump on the head from his fall."

"Is it a concussion?"

"We'll know for sure once the CT has been read. For now, he has some bruised ribs—possibly one cracked rib. The radiologist will read the X-rays and let us know for sure, but it isn't serious. Why don't I take you back to see him?"

Patti followed Dr. Fassbender to Rene's room.

Lee turned to Amanda and looked at her questioningly. "She didn't mention the cause of the bruising. Rene gets to do that. How's Matt?"

"I'm going to take him home. You're right. He needs to talk. I'll drop him off and come back for you. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll talk to Rene and Patti and make sure they're okay while I'm waiting." Amanda picked up her purse. "Is Matt ready to go? I'd like to see him again before you take him home."

Amanda followed Lee into Matt's room. Matt sat in a chair, dressed in his black stakeout clothes. Despite his operative apparel, he still looked young and vulnerable. She went to him and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Rene is doing just fine, Matt. Patti is with him now. He can probably go home in a little while."

Amanda felt Matt's shoulder relax under her hand. "Thanks, Mrs. Stetson." He glanced up at her and smiled faintly, then slowly stood up. "I guess we should get going, Chief. I don't want to keep you long."

Amanda looked at Lee and back at Matt. "Matt, why don't you stop by Rene's room and say hello. He'd be glad to see you."

"He probably needs to be with Patti."

Amanda was not to be deterred. "Come on. We'll just be a minute." She led the way out of the room.

Amanda checked with the nurse and continued to Rene's room. She waited down the hall as Matt cautiously opened the door.

"Matt! You're looking better than the last time I saw you."

Matt was relieved to see Rene sitting up in bed, his wife perched beside him. He had his arm wrapped around her. She looked like she'd been crying.

"Hey, Rene. Just checking in on you before I go. I won't stay."

"You probably want to go home… I heard you have some nice bruises, but you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just glad you're okay."

Matt backed out into the hall.

Rene called after him. "I'll talk with you later, okay, buddy?"

"Yeah. I'll see you."

Matt slowly made his way down the hall to where Lee and Amanda waited for him. Amanda pulled Lee aside as they walked toward the waiting room. "I'll debrief Enriquez and fill you in when you get back." He nodded and let his hand pass down her arm, briefly grasping her hand before following Matt out of the hospital.

Lee held the door open as Matt carefully eased himself into the BMW. They were quiet as Lee pulled out of the parking lot. Finally, he spoke up. "You know, it's pretty tough having your partner get shot. I blamed myself every single time."

Matt stared at Lee. _Every single time? _"It sounds like you went through it a lot."

"Three times—four, actually. One wasn't technically my partner, though." Lee paused to see if Matt wanted to hear more. He decided to plunge ahead. "The first time it was a friend—we were part of a team on a mission. I couldn't help her. I was pinned down by gunfire and Dorothy was strafed by an airplane. Then, I lost my first partner, Eric. I really blamed myself for that one. I should have been the one to take the bullet, but he had taken my place that night. He had a wife and child…"

"Is there anything you could have done?"

"Not really. He was the senior agent. I was just following his plan."

"Did all of your partners die?"

"Mrs. Stetson took the third and fourth bullets." Lee glanced out the side window to hide his pained expression.

Matt looked at him. "I guess I have heard a few bits and pieces about that. But you kept working together."

Lee sighed. "The first three times I went through it, I reacted the same way. I blamed myself. What if I hadn't taken Amanda to that pier? We were on our honeymoon, and she caught a stray sniper's bullet. We weren't even on assignment. It was a fluke. But, I had this irrational need to keep her safe. I thought I had completely failed her. The fourth time was different. We were on an operation. I was beside myself when I saw her get hit, but I knew it wasn't my fault. It turned out to be relatively minor, thankfully." Lee didn't share the rest of the details. Sarah had been a baby and Phillip and Jamie were still young. It had been the catalyst for them leaving the field permanently.

"I've been thinking that I should have done something. With all my training, I could have done something besides just lie there and get kicked."

Since Matt was staring out the window, Lee couldn't see the young agent's face. But he could read his mood: the slump of his shoulders spoke volumes.

"Matt, you had at least two guys attacking you, and they had guns. It would have been suicidal to do anything. The vest won't protect your head if you're shot there."

Matt turned to face Lee. "Yeah…"

"Yeah is right. You did the right thing. You can't keep beating yourself up over this. It will make you less effective next time you're out in the field. Then you will be a problem for your partner. Take it from someone who knows."

Matt was still watching Lee as he pulled into the beltway traffic heading towards Arlington. "You live in those apartments near the mall?"

"Yeah. …Wait, how did you know?"

Lee looked sheepish. "I looked up your address and checked it out. I guess I've always been nosey…"

Matt smiled uncertainly. "Do you do this with all of your agents?"

Lee looked at him sideways. "No, just the ones who might be dating my daughter."

Matt's eyes grew wide. "Does that happen often?"

"Nope. Just the one time. I've made sure they never got past flirting with her."

Nausea swept over Matt. "Mind if I crack the window?"

The tone of his voice made Lee look at him sharply. "Do we need to go back to the hospital?"

"No. I'll be okay in a minute."

"Listen, Granger, I talked with Sarah today. We never mentioned names, but I told her I had guessed she was seeing one of my agents. If I'm right about who it is, I would consider bending my rule. I said she and her friend should talk with her mom and me."

"I didn't intend to…"

"Like I said, Granger, I'll consider it. You talk with Sarah, and maybe we can all have dinner this weekend."

"Chief, I need to say something. I want you to know I'd never let anything happen to Sarah. I know you have good reasons for your no dating rule…"

"Which are mostly based on avoiding the rumor mill at the Agency. You have already started a few flying there. However, no one seems to know that Sarah is involved yet." Lee shifted in his seat and looked over at Matt briefly. "I never finished telling you about how I dealt with Amanda being shot."

"You don't have to bring all that up."

"I don't want you taking the same guilt trip I did. I put a lot of energy into finding the gunman and having him arrested, thinking I was taking revenge on Amanda's behalf. Sure, it was good to get the guy behind bars, but the real reason I went after him was to make me feel better about having failed her. Where I should have been was by her bedside. Truth was, I couldn't have done anything different about the shooting. I'm just thankful she's a fighter…"

They were nearing Matt's apartment. "You can't blame yourself, Granger. I saw what happened on camera. You were hit pretty hard."

"We didn't know they were even there at first. They came up on us so quietly, and then I just couldn't get myself to move after the guy kicked me."

"I saw the bruise, Matt. I don't know anyone who could have moved. The doctor said it was a good thing you had a vest on."

Matt laughed a little. "You know, Rene was complaining about his. Good thing Mrs. Beaman insisted."

Lee pulled up to the curb outside Matt's complex. "This is the building, right?"

"Yep." Matt seemed uncomfortable—and Lee knew it was not from his bruised back. "You really did follow me."

Lee just raised his eyebrows and did not say anything as Matt eased himself out of the car. "Thanks for everything, Chief. I really appreciate it."

"I'll see you tomorrow, if you think you can make it in."

"I'll be there." Matt closed the car door and walked stiffly into the building.

Lee watched him go inside. Following an old habit, he looked around the neighborhood. Seeing nothing suspicious, he called Francine as he headed back to the hospital.

"Hey, Lee."

"Francine. Do you have an update?"

"Besetti and Cartwright were able to stay with the truck. They followed it to the docks and watched the Russians unload the stuff onto a ship. They abandoned the truck and went onboard."

"What about the cartel members who jumped on the truck and the ones who attacked Enriquez and Granger?"

"We lost them. The three on the truck jumped off at a light and ran into a Metro station. They were too fast for the agents and got on the train before the agents could. The two on the roof just vanished, Lee."

Lee swore under his breath. "So, we're back to square one with the cartel."

"But we are tracking the weapons, Lee. Those Russians are definitely not agents. They have no clue we're on to them. Besetti and Cartwright are going to place tracking devices on the ship before it sails at midnight. We should be able to follow its path that way, so we don't have to trust the manifest and other documentation."

"Okay. I want to keep people on those cartel members. Let's spread a net. And I want Besetti and Cartwright, and maybe another team, to shadow that ship to its destination. They need to be at every port before the ship arrives, then run surveillance until it sails again."

"Got it. Jamie analyzed the faces of the guys on the roof. One of the ones who got away was the same guy Granger and Enriquez photographed in the pickup earlier in the week. I'm hoping we'll find him again. Jamie is searching the databases for other surveillance of the cartel members."

Lee sighed in frustration. "It won't matter if they're underground now."

"We're on our way back in to the Agency. You coming in soon?"

"I just have to pick up Amanda at the hospital. Granger is at home resting and Enriquez should be on his way to do the same soon."

"I'm glad they're okay. I'll see you soon."

Matt let himself in his apartment and went straight to the bathroom. Searching the medicine cabinet, he finally pulled out a bottle of generic ibuprofen. He swallowed four with the remainder of water in the sport bottle on the counter. Pulling off his shirt, he contorted himself painfully so he could see his back in the mirror. _You do look like crap, Granger. This one is worse than the time I was jumped in Brussels. At least I was able to fight back._ Matt closed his eyes. _Thank God Rene was wearing his vest. I was useless to him today._ Remembering his talk with Lee, Matt tried to think of something else instead of beating himself up mentally.

After stripping off the rest of his clothes, he threw them in the hamper. Stepping into the shower, Matt let the warm water cascade over his face before slowly turning his back to it. Thoughts of Sarah came to mind—the way she had touched his arm and that parting peck on the cheek. He did have feelings for her, but she was with Jeff. Why had the chief acted like he was expected Matt to start a relationship with his daughter? Or was all of that just about starting a friendship? His thoughts would have run on, but he suddenly remembered. _Oh, Sarah! I'm supposed to go to that class with her tonight. Maybe she'll understand if I tell her I'm not feeling up to it. I'll call her at six._

Once he was showered and dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, Matt pulled back the bedspread and lay down on his side. He set the alarm on his phone and closed his eyes. The ibuprofen was starting to take effect. Soon he was fast asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Seven

"Did their stories line up?" Francine stifled a yawn and leaned back into the couch in Lee's office. Amanda sat next to her, a laptop perched on her knees as she typed up the report.

Lee, who sat at his desk, answered for her. "We probably got just as much from overhearing the conversation and watching from Johnson's camera. They matched up pretty well."

Amanda spoke up. "Enriquez and Granger both said the cartel gunman was angry about Enriquez being a Mexican-American federal agent. They both had the impression that the gunman wanted to kill Enriquez and send a message through Granger."

Francine's response was cynical. "Oh? You mean, 'Don't mess with us? Stay away?' The same one they send to all the other agents they go after? Thankfully we sent them a message this time."

Lee got up to pace. "We may have taken out one of their men, but five got away. As far as I'm concerned, we lost this round."

Amanda looked up from her computer. "Lee, Francine has a net spread out for those men. We still have a good chance to catch them. We even have an I.D. on that one who was seen in the pickup truck this week."

"Thanks, Amanda, but Lee has a point. The trail is growing colder by the minute. These guys are so slippery. And they're probably gloating to themselves about shooting Enriquez and kicking Granger's butt."

Suddenly Lee stopped and snapped his fingers. "That's it! We can spread a rumor that Enriquez was killed. Maybe they'll get cocky and let something slip."

Amanda looked at Lee, then over at Francine. Francine shrugged her shoulders. Amanda grew thoughtful. "They do like to brag…"

"What can it hurt? Rene cracked a rib today. We'll keep him on desk duty so he won't be spotted in the field."

"You saw Matt's back, Lee. He should probably be kept out of the field, too—for at least a few days…"

"They can help in the bull pen while the other agents are out gathering intel and looking for the cartel members."

Francine sat up. "Listen, Lee. You are going to have to let me run with this. It may not be tied up by the weekend…"

Lee looked over at Amanda, who glanced up at him. "She's right, Scarecrow."

"Fine. Why don't you finish up your reports so you can run things tomorrow? You shouldn't stay late tonight. Amanda and I have it covered."

Francine got up, straightening her jacket and skirt. "I'll be in my office for the next hour if you need anything. Then I'm going to have dinner with my family. Amanda, would you mind calling me with a status report before you head home?"

"Will do, Chief."

Francine and Lee both looked at her. Amanda was feigning innocence. "What? Francine should get used to it." Lee chuckled as Francine rolled her eyes and walked out.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

_The alley was desolate. Matt ran, but he felt as if he was getting nowhere. Suddenly he came upon Rene's body sprawled upon the ground. George was there, telling him to get back. Rene was so still. Matt bent to look into his face, when suddenly he saw Sarah staring back at him. He thought he heard the beep of a heart monitor. Was she in a hospital bed?_

Matt woke up with a start and turned off the alarm. He lay there quietly, trying to control his breathing. With an effort he pushed the dream from his mind. It was still too early to call Sarah. She wouldn't be home for another ten minutes. He didn't want to break the news to her while she was getting off a train. He picked up the phone and called Rene.

"Hey Granger. I was hoping you'd call."

"Hey. How's Patti doing? She looked pretty upset when I saw her."

"She was pretty freaked at first. It was as if I'd been shot for real. She was mad at the Stetsons for not telling her. Then, I pointed out that I wasn't shot. I'd worn a vest. I'd just hit my head—and I was actually kind of glad I was there to tell her about it myself, instead of having the Stetsons do it. She settled down after that."

"How long are you out of commission?"

"A day or so. I barely have a concussion." Rene grunted a little into the phone. "Although one of the bullets cracked a rib. Jerks."

"That's putting it nicely."

"How about you?"

"I just have a few bruises."

"I'm betting you aren't taking any pain meds, Mr. Hero."

"Well, I did take a few ibuprofen."

"Good. Then you'll be up for dancing."

"Sheesh, Enriquez. Some bump. You remember everything."

"You're going."

"I'm about to call and cancel."

"Not on your life."

"Chief knows about us."

"What the… How did he find out?"

"He's been in the business longer than either of us has been alive. He knows. I think he's irritated about it."

"Did he act like he was irritated?"

"Well, he mentioned that there were rumors about me dating someone."

"There are rumors."

"He wants the four of us to get together to talk about it."

"Isn't that a good sign?"

"I don't know what to think. I nearly threw up when he told me he knew."

"Aww, that's just leftovers from getting your butt kicked. This is all good, Matt."

"I'm not so sure… Listen, I'm glad you're doing so well. I'll see you in a couple of days. I'd better call Sarah before she drives over here."

"You're going, Granger. Don't disappoint her. I saw how flustered she was when she couldn't leave the museum on time to go see you. She's into you."

Although Rene couldn't see him, Matt still felt his face flush with a mixture of embarrassment and something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He flashed back to the last time he'd seen Sarah, when she gave him the peck on the cheek. He could feel her hand on his arm. It had been soft and light...

"Matt? You still there?"

"You win, Rene. I'll go. Although I hope this ibuprofen holds out." Matt straightened his back slowly and winced.

"Bring some with you. Listen, you'd better go get dressed. Let the girl know what you look like when you're not in a suit."

Matt snorted. "Don't push this too hard, Enriquez. See you."

"See ya."

Matt stared at his phone for a minute before grabbing some leftovers out of the refrigerator. He still had over twenty minutes before Sarah picked him up, and he was starved. He sniffed the chicken. Thankfully he had gone light on the spices this time. It would not do to have halitosis at dance class.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Driving slowly past Matt's apartment complex, Sarah was looking for Matt's building number when she spotted him walking towards the street. She sucked in her breath at the sight of him in his jeans and t-shirt. _Don't stare, you dummy, _she chastised herself._ He'll notice._

He waved to her as she pulled up along the parked cars. He opened the car door and looked in at her. "Hey! You're right on time."

"Hi! So are you. I hope you didn't have any trouble getting off work this evening. My mom texted and said they'd be late tonight."

Matt didn't respond right away. He did his best to look nonchalant as he slid stiffly into the passenger seat and buckled in.

Sarah's brow furrowed. "You okay, Matt?"

"Yeah. Got into a bit of a tussle today, but I'll be fine."

"We don't have to go…" 

"Sure we do." He did his best to sound upbeat. "I'm fine. How was your day?"

Sarah peered closely at Matt for a moment, then put the car in gear. "My day was great. It sounds like yours wasn't."

While Sarah concentrated on the evening traffic, he watched her profile. It was hard to keep from staring at her when they were together. Despite the warm evening, she looked cool and graceful in her lightweight sleeveless blouse and skirt. Her beauty was natural—she didn't wear much makeup because she didn't need it. Sarah reminded him of his sisters and their friends back home, where they all had grown up together in the same church group. They hadn't competed for boys the way the other girls in town had done. And their fathers and brothers didn't worry about what they did on dates, either. Sarah seemed to be the same way.

"Earth to Matt." Sarah laughed lightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about my sisters. You remind me of them."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I meant it that way. However, you are a much better driver."

Sarah laughed again. "Aww, give those poor girls a break. They didn't have to learn on a race course with Leatherneck. My dad taught us the basics, but Leatherneck did the rest. I was changing tires and the oil before he was done."

"I guess your dad thought of everything. I've seen your kung fu moves, too. You know, I feel quite safe with you as my escort."

"As long as you don't try anything, Buster." Sarah gave Matt a mock glare.

Unmoved, Matt challenged, "Can you do a reverse bootlegger?"

"You bet. Shall I do one right now?"

Matt laughed. "Sure, right here in the middle of traffic."

Sarah laughed with him. He loved the sound of it. It was light and musical.

They were quiet for a few moments, and then Sarah started to speak and stopped herself. Matt looked at her. Seeing him out of the corner of her eye, she gathered her courage and tried again.

"Matt, I need to tell you something, in case it comes up in conversation tonight."

Matt felt a knot in his stomach. He was concerned about Sarah's tone. _Was it something about Jeff? How could I have let myself forget about that jerk?_

"Jeff and I officially broke up last night." Sarah sighed slightly.

Not sure how to respond, Matt waited.

"Actually, I broke up with him. It just wasn't working before, and we haven't seen each other in over a month, now."

"I'm sorry, Sarah…"

"Don't be. It was kind of hard, but I should have done it a long time ago. I just…"

"Didn't want to hurt his feelings?"

"Something like that."

Uncomfortable, Matt looked out the window and tried to think of something else to talk about.

"Well, here we are." Sarah pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall. He could see the sign for the dance studio above one of the store entrances.

Matt cursed to himself as he struggled to get out of the car. He wasn't able to get to Sarah's door in time to help her. In fact, he could see concern on her face as she met him at the back of the car.

Taking his arm, she spoke low in his ear. "You sure you feel well enough for this?"

"I'm fine once I move around a little. Just don't slap me on the back and I'll be good. Let's go."

Sarah started to walk with Matt, and then stopped him. "Oh, you work for IFF just like my mom and dad, right?"

"Yes. I use the same cover." Having a girlfriend who understood his job might not be so bad. _I need to stop worrying about Jeff and have a good time…_

Sarah smiled. Matt seemed much more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. It would not be so hard to bring up the idea of meeting with her parents…

They were early. After introducing Matt to the instructor, Sarah and Matt stood to one side as a group of her friends collected around them and she introduced them one by one. Matt was grateful for his intelligence training. Unlike his awkward high school days, he no longer had trouble remembering names.

Matt was pleasantly surprised that they started with line dancing. He was glad for the warm up and for the familiar territory. Soon they paired up for the waltz.

As Matt took Sarah into his arms, he wasn't prepared for the feeling that washed over him. Taking care to hold her at a polite distance, he still felt almost overwhelmed to be so near to her, feeling her slender form under the thin blouse. The folds of her skirt swayed lightly around them as they moved to the music.

Remembering Matt's comment about his back, Sarah placed her hand on the front of his shoulder so she would not hurt him. He had loosened up quite a bit, so they waltzed easily around the floor. She avoided looking at his face, afraid she might reveal her feelings to him. Despite the polite distance at which Matt held her, Sarah could not help but feel something like a spark pass between them. His hand rested lightly on her back, but it felt warm and reassuring through her blouse. She smiled briefly to herself. They stepped apart as the instructor called a short break.

"A penny for your thoughts." Matt's voice was low, near her ear.

"My dad says that to my mom sometimes." Sarah looked up at him and grinned. "I was just thinking that for not having danced in several years, you do a remarkable job."

"I guess it came right back. Now that I think of it, my sisters did make me practice with them."

"Aha." She gently poked his chest with her finger. "So you have danced more than you let on."

"Well, they needed a partner. I guess I didn't think about it. It's just something we did for fun. I even danced with my mom sometimes."

Soon it was time for the tango. Sarah was distracted, trying not to touch Matt's back. She stumbled a little. As he reached to steady her, Sarah noticed Matt wince. "I'm so sorry, Matt. We don't have to do this."

"I'm having fun." He bent his head so his eyes met hers. "Look, we can't tango if you don't hang onto me."

Sarah carefully grasped his shoulder and watched Matt's face to make sure he wasn't in pain. Soon they both relaxed and closed the distance between them. Matt no longer felt like he was an awkward teenager once again. He marveled at how naturally they moved together across the dance floor. Occasionally her hair brushed his cheek. Smelling faintly of roses, it reminded him of the bouquets his mother sometimes put on the table at home. Looking down, he watched Sarah's face, so near to his. She was smiling slightly, looking at her friends. That unidentified feeling washed over him once again and he subconsciously pulled her still closer.

Sarah had not failed to notice. She glanced up at Matt and shyly looked away. He smelled of aftershave and soap, and she could feel his muscles under his t-shirt. Suddenly the room felt stuffy and she was grateful that the class had come to an end. She saw the reluctant look in Matt's eyes as he stepped away. He placed his hand in the small of her back and guided her towards the door.

Sarah's friends congregated on the walkway outside the studio. Sarah leaned into Matt. "Sometimes we go for coffee afterwards. Are you up for it? I can take you home…"

"Maybe for a little while. It's only eight thirty. Just give me a second." Matt went back inside and found the drinking fountain. He pulled some ibuprofen out of his pocket and swallowed them quickly.

Outside, Tori and Elaine stopped her. "Oh, Sarah, where did you find Matt?" Tori whispered excitedly. "He seems really nice. And honestly, he's drop-dead gorgeous."

"He looks like Captain America." Elaine sighed audibly and Sarah had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"He's a friend. He works with my parents." She smiled to soften her next words. "Try not to drool on the poor guy. He's already overwhelmed." Pulling away from them, she went to Matt.

"Thanks for waiting. Ready to go?" At Sarah's nod, Matt guided her to the car and held the door while she got in. As he walked around to the passenger door, he noticed two of Sarah's friends staring after them.

Sarah saw Matt watching Tori and Elaine as he got in the car.

"Ignore them. They'll be fine once they get to know you better."

Soon they were pulling into another strip mall. A large coffee house stood at one end. They went in and ordered two frappuccinos, then found a seat on a sofa near Sarah's friends. Matt relaxed as he noticed the girls had stopped staring at him and were eager to engage Sarah in conversation. Two of the guys, Chris and Ryan, talked with Matt. Sarah was grateful that they made the effort to make him feel welcome.

After about a half hour, Sarah noticed that Matt was sitting stiffly. She spoke quietly into his ear. "You ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah." He forced himself to smile. The second round of ibuprofen hadn't helped. The dancing had been too much. He said his goodbyes and got up stiffly before offering his hand to Sarah to help her up.

Once outside, Sarah turned to him. "You really are in pain, aren't you? I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have come."

"Oh no. I'm so glad you invited me. It was good to get out of the apartment… and I had a great time."

"I just hope you won't regret it in the morning."

"Trust me, I won't." _I'll be dreaming about you all night… _


	8. Chapter 8

May I Have This Dance?

Chapter Eight-Tag

Once in the car, they were quiet for several minutes. Sarah fidgeted anxiously before getting up the nerve to say the words. "Matt, I had lunch with my dad today."

_Yeah, I know._ Matt didn't say it out loud, he just looked at Sarah and waited.

"I should have talked with you first, but I told my father I was seeing someone new. I didn't say who, but I just couldn't keep it a secret from him."

"What did he say?" 

"He wants us to meet with Mom and him this weekend."

Matt was quiet, searching for words.

"Please don't be angry with me…" Sarah glanced over at Matt, who was staring straight ahead, an intense look in his eyes. His face often held that expression when he seemed to be thinking about something. She couldn't read his body language, so she was nervous.

"Oh, Sarah, I'm not angry. Your dad talked with me today. He had already guessed we were dating before this." He looked at her. "I guess you'd call it dating…" Matt wasn't sure if they were ready to define their relationship. "To be honest, I was scared he'd be angry, but he wasn't. Maybe a little irritated. He's worried about people at work gossiping about me seeing someone, then finding out I'm spending time with you."

It was Sarah's turn to be quiet. They had arrived at his apartment. "I don't want to cause you problems at work, Matt."

"Sarah, this is important. Will you come in for a few minutes so we can work it out?"

Sarah hesitated a moment. Watching her, Matt chuckled softly. "I promise, I'm too sore to try anything."

Sarah blushed lightly. "I trust you. Let me just park the car."

Matt was moving stiffly. He was grateful to have Sarah help him with the door to the building. He let them into the apartment and flipped on the lights. Sarah studied the room, glad for a chance to see the place Matt called home.

A bronze star hung from the wall above the leather couch, and a framed Texas flag hung above the weight machine in one corner. A few curios scattered around the room gave it a western feel.

"It's so neat and tidy. And I like your Texas theme."

"Being in the Corps and the Army has its merits when it comes to housekeeping, I guess. I like the reminders of home. Have a seat." Matt pointed to an overstuffed chair.

Before she sat down, Sarah noticed a plate of muffins, neatly wrapped in plastic, on the high counter by the kitchen. Her eyebrows went up. "You bake, too?"

"What? Oh, the muffins?" Matt chuckled. "My mom taught me to cook, but I'm not much of a baker. Those are from one of the ladies at church. I get a lot of goodies." Matt patted his stomach playfully and smiled. "Keeps me running on a regular basis."

"Do you go to a gym?"

"I did for a while, but I'd rather run outside. It's easier for me to just do my lifting at home."

"Mom and Dad got me into running when I was in middle school. It was hard to keep it up at NYU, but I've been running regularly since I was back in D.C." Sarah stopped herself, remembering coming back from a run to find Matt in her apartment because he thought she was a suspect in the Birol case. She blushed.

Matt guessed why she was blushing and cleared his throat. "You like to run the neighborhood, too. Maybe we could go together sometime?"

"That would be nice! But, with your back, we might need to wait." She glanced awkwardly at her lap and back up at him. "Do you have something to take for your pain, Matt? I still feel badly. We shouldn't have gone tonight. You should have stayed home and rested."

Matt eased himself onto the edge of the couch. "Sarah, that's what I wanted to talk about. I may be a bit stiff right now, but I have no regrets about going tonight. If you ever need another sub, I'd like to go again. Thank you for inviting me."

Sarah smiled and blushed again. "Tori's brother was talking about quitting. I'd need a partner—you could sign up as a regular student."

"I think I might take you up on that." Matt watched her. _She's so sweet when she blushes like that. This is your chance, Granger. Say it!_

"I'd like to have other chances to get to know you better, too, Sarah. If you're willing, I'd like to talk with your parents. I want their blessing."

Sarah lowered her eyes briefly and then looked up at Matt. "That would mean a lot to me, Matt. Are you sure you won't mind talking to my dad?" She hesitated. "I know he intimidates the new agents…"

"You're worth it." He watched her for a moment. "It's not too soon, though? You just broke off a long relationship."

Touched by the concern on his face, Sarah spoke quickly, but her voice was soft. "I was telling the truth when I said that things had not been good for a long time. We had not spent much time together over the last semester or two." She glanced down, hoping Matt would not be put off, thinking she was an insincere person. "I realized I did not love him—not the way he wanted to be loved, anyway."

From his expression, Sarah sensed he was encouraged by her words.

"As long as you don't feel pressured. We can go slow."

Sarah felt a thrill go through her. _This is too good to be true. Make sure._ "Oh, Matt. Then, there are the gossips at the Agency…"

"You're worth it. I really mean it, Sarah. I want to get to know you better. It would be nice to take you to dinner, maybe spend a day at the park sometime… I'd like to think we've become good friends over the last month."

"We have." Sarah saw Matt was watching her earnestly. Looking into his eyes, she knew he was serious. "I'll see if they're free Saturday night?"

Matt grinned at her. "Sounds perfect." His grin turned to a grimace as he got up. "I hate to end our perfect evening, but I should walk you to your car. I hope your parents will be home when you get there." He offered his hand to help her up.

"You sound like one of my brothers or my dad. I'll be okay. Remember, I know kung fu."

Matt laughed and grabbed his keys. Sarah looked at the muffins again. "So, what is your church like?"

Matt answered her as they walked out of his apartment. "Well, it's not where I expected to be. I've always gone to churches with a lot of people my age. There aren't as many at this one."

"What made you stay?"

"Well, people sort of adopted me. I found out I enjoyed helping them at their houses occasionally, and it wasn't so bad having older ladies baking for me."

Sarah laughed. It was that light and musical sound again. "It sounds like you are all enjoying the experience."

He nodded in response. "Do you ever go to church?"

"Once in awhile. Mom and Dad wanted to take me more often, but it's hard with their jobs. Sometimes they even miss the Christmas Eve service. Mom says it's their curse." She laughed again.

"Maybe you could come with me sometime. I think the ladies would like you."

They were standing by Sarah's car. "I'd love that. Just let me know when."

"Maybe this Sunday? I'd need to pick you up at 9:15. It's in Fairfax."

"Sounds perfect. I'd better let you get back inside and rest. Good night!"

"Good night. Thanks again, Sarah." Matt held the door for Sarah as she climbed in the car, then closed it after her. He moved to the sidewalk and watched her drive away. As she took one last look at him in her rearview mirror, she thought she saw him grinning to himself as he went back to his apartment.

Sarah found herself grinning, too.

[End of Part One]


End file.
